Open your eyes and read
by hinatachan the itaxnaru luver
Summary: Sakura and Kakashi are assigned a special mission and that is...to read every single letter ever written by their dead team mates, Naruto and Sasuke who died while on a mission. Tsunade thinks their letters will be somehow connected. Are they? SasuNaru
1. Inevitable findings

**The song, Open your eyes by Sum41 got me to write this out, I thought it perfected Sasuke and Naruto and well…instead of making a video about them, I can just write about them! (Just so you guys know, I've set this aside from the anime or manga so don't confuse it with 'isn't deidara supposed to be dead?') GOT IT?**

**Summary: A series of letters have been found, uncovered by Kakashi and Sakura as they look into the past of their late team mates who have been lost in battle. They each read a letter either from Naruto or from Sasuke, both boys making the letters out as though they had been talking to each other all this time without talking to each other in person. (Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto are all 15!)**

**Warning: Not much of a warning for this chapter but later chapters will have some warnings.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Or these lyrics below! I do own the letters though.**

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><p><em><strong>Open your eyes, Sasuke!<strong>_

_This isn't me,_

_This isn't you,_

_This is everything but true,_

_Till we come to realize_

_It's what we put each other through._

_Naruto~_

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><p>Broken-hearted and saddened by the loss of two of their best friends and team mates, Sakura Haruno, the pink haired kunoichi who had been apart of team seven, and Kakashi Hatake, the grey haired leader of their squad and probably the only one who really understood the problems within the group. Both Sakura and Kakashi were devastated to hear that both Naruto and Sasuke had fallen during a fight with Sasori and Deidara, two of Akatsuki's members. They had been sent on a mission a month ago and now the group had only two members that came back from the mission. Tsunade, the hokage of their village and med-nin, had also thought it was impossible for them to die so quickly. Not that she was second guessing their powers, it was just odd to her that the blonde young man who swore he'd become hokage one day, let himself get carried away.<p>

Tsunade had overlooked their bodies over and over but saw no signs of vital life along with the nine-tailed fox demon that was sealed within Naruto's body. It was like it never existed.

Now, standing in the hokage's tower and main office, Sakura Haruno and Kakashi Hatake, both stood silently and waited for their orders. The hokage in question put her hands under her chin and held her head, in deep thinking. It was a bad mixture of an atmosphere and Shizune and Kakashi were both feeling guilty by the time Tsunade was ready to talk.

"Kakashi, my team of medical ninjas found a hidden capsule near Naruto's apartment complex. We've opened it but…they're not letters for outsiders to read. So I took the liberty of giving you the option of reading them before the funerals." Tsunade hated to say the word 'funerals' but she had no choice as the hokage of the village but to say what was needed to be said.

"What letters?" Sakura Haruno asked. She couldn't comprehend what the woman was talking about.

The hokage let out a sigh and turned her chair around to face the window like she liked to do when stuck in a serious conversation. She looked up to Shizune, who gave the woman a slight nod of the head.

"We believe they're from both Naruto and Sasuke but we're not sure who they're for or why. We only know that they signed their names. Kakashi, Sakura, find the meaning of these letters and if you don't mind…find some reason behind their deaths if at all possible, dismissed!" Sakura straightened up and smiled. For the first time since the deaths of her fellow team mates, she was finding hope in the one person she trusted the best aside from Kakashi.

Kakashi and Sakura left and were still as gloomy as ever knowing that their team mates had left behind letters that were unknown to either of them. Shizune and Tsunade were left alone to look out over the village as a daunting, black cloud hung over them in silence. The village itself had felt empty.

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><p>Getting to the site, to where Tsunade had pointed it out, Kakashi and Sakura arrived near Naruto's apartment complex. Half the building was put under quarantine for security measures so the medical-nins and ANBU could investigate a bit further. But there was no one here as of now and the building was now empty to the point of becoming a ghostly apartment building.<p>

"Well…let's get to work, Sakura." Kakashi spoke out in a dull voice and walked over coolly towards the dug up hole that had a medium sized metal capsule resting next to it.

Sakura hesitated. She had never visited Naruto on a daily basis except just to inform the boy when and where that team seven would be meeting. Other then that, it was hard to believe that a boy like Naruto or even Sasuke would make letters. Just remembering the two of them standing side-by-side with her got her eyes swelling with tears. Kakashi noticed her crying but he knew there wasn't much to be said at this point of time. There was nothing more he could say that could heal her wounded heart. He knew too well that very feeling of the loss of a team mate and hoped it had never happened when he had his own students. But now it was a past dream that had gone up in flames after Sasuke and Naruto's deaths were confirmed.

"Kakashi sensei…why…why did they…why didn't they ask for help?" The tears took over Sakura's entire face and she found she could not stop herself any longer. She was tired of holding back her tears.

"Your days of crying should be over by now, Sakura." Kakashi hated to be a let-down but he had his own principals to keep. He was a leader of a squad or what was left of it and with the squad he planned for new members despite how much Sakura wanted the other two to come back.

Kakashi lifted the metal capsule off the ground and looked at it thoroughly. It was like a giant pill, the kind you swallowed without chewing and had a flap-like lid at the top of it and engraved on the side of the capsule, were the initials of Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi never questioned the two of them about their personal lives but this was one thing he felt he should have questioned about. What could be so important of leaving written letters in a capsule anyway? Did it prove they actually lived in this world?

Kakashi looked the capsule over before opening the lid all the way and pulling out a couple of letters. He then said, "There is quite a bit of letters, Sakura." The said girl nodded and wiped away her tears as she walked over to Kakashi and the capsule.

The man handed her a few letters and took a couple for himself. If they were going to find anything amongst the letters, it was best to read them individually and report on any spectacular findings that would point to their mysterious deaths and what exactly happened that day with Sasori and Deidara.

Sakura took her handful of letters and sat down cross-legged. If she was to read every single letter given to her, she wanted to be at least a bit comfortable doing it. The first letter she chose was from Sasuke. Sakura unfolded the letter and was mighty surprised that Sasuke had such wonderful hand writing that it was hard to make out a few words but she was able to make them out fine.

She gulped. It wasn't everyday that she got to read letters from two men who had hardly ever talked to her about their feelings aside from saying stuff about love and justice and whatnot. The letter seemed sad and a bit lonesome as it would have fit Sasuke to a tee. The letter was like a poem to his true feelings.

_If I could make a wish, any wish in the entire universe,_

_I would choose not to be a ninja._

_I'm part of the Uchiha clan._

_We're famous for our eyes,_

_But I wonder…is this all_

_We're good for? I used to spend my childhood days,_

_Thinking of such things _

_Maybe my family was cursed and I didn't know it_

_At that time_

_Or it was just how things were supposed to be._

_But now…I have friends but only one who really knew me_

_So well!_

_I just hope our missions don't end my life too soon. _

_I have a brother to kill after all._

_~Sasuke~_

Sakura was left astounded. She knew Sasuke's family was murdered by Itachi Uchiha, but to think Sasuke would even include his brother and his family in a poem-like letter. As for who it was addressed to, there was nothing that would lead the kunoichi to the person who it was meant for. Sakura let out a sigh knowing there wasn't much of a hint with this letter.

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><p>Kakashi had read so many letters but these letters from Naruto were just too plain and too abnormal that he skipped a few. One of them however, had included their team and a mission.<p>

_For tonight's supper I plan on having Ramen._

_I love it, and there's certainly nothing wrong with it._

_Sakura and Sasuke both like ramen like I do, but not as much._

_To be honest, I never thought of sharing meals with friends other then _

_Getting together with Sakura-chan_

_But on another note, Sasuke disappeared today. He didn't meet with me like we _

_Planned and it rained on me! That Sasuke is a real idiot!_

_Naruto~_

Kakashi was lost in what the letter meant. Was there anything worth really worrying about other then Naruto meeting with Sasuke? But it was the law of the ninja world. They were ordered to go through the letters and report back to Tsunade if they found anything about their deaths. But finding such a detailed letter or letters, he knew they'd have to be more detailed then the one that Naruto was writing about. He sighed and put the letter down. It was going to be one long day.

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><p><strong>An: And that's it for the first half of the day of Sasuke and Naruto's letter foundation! I'll update as soon as possible as I have more letters in my mind! So Read and review!**


	2. Interests alike

**I love SasuNaru, they're like Sailor moon in the ninja world. **

**Warning: Nothing to say much really.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**

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><p>Sakura and Kakashi had both been through tons of letters and some of them they read, were quite boring while others, Sakura had found, were kind of lonely and sad. She was after all, reading only Sasuke's part of the letters. Each letter she read of his got her in tears by the time she was done with them. But from all the letters they had read so far, it was apparent that the two boys seemed to meet in rather odd places, places where no one traveled or were not walk-able paths for the villagers. This little piece of information was not seen as any sort of hint as to who their killer would be. Kakashi and Sakura both thought it was odd that Sasori and Deidara would take down two rivals so easily in one battle. Naruto always wanted to prove himself that he was better than Sasuke, so why would the two of her team mates give up now?<p>

It was a strange mystery indeed as to who could have really killed them off. Sakura and Kakashi did not doubt Deidara's and Sasori's abilities to murder kids especially kids like Naruto and Sasuke. But it was a wonder as to how they could have taken those two down so easily. Sakura hoped that the next few letters she read would mostly benefit her information search.

Sakura settled herself down on the dirt once more; examining the letter she held in her hands and read on:

_My brother's death will finally make my parents proud._

_Naruto can say all he wants, and Sakura and Kakashi sensei can both _

_Keep their noses out of my business. _

_What I do on my days off from missions should not include three morons…_

_No…they're not morons…not one of them anyway…_

_~Sasuke~_

Sakura was not at all surprised by the use of the word 'moron' but why he had the feelings to include herself and Kakashi were a whole other subject. She understood if he just meant Naruto, but he said all of them except for one. Did that mean Naruto was smarter than her? Sakura looked over at her teacher, who shrugged as if he saw what she had been reading. The letter he read from Naruto's pile must have also said something similar but most of all predictable. But Kakashi did not think Sakura would have known what Naruto's letters were about as she was not the one reading them.

The teacher on the other hand looked down on the letters he had to read by Naruto. They weren't the most fascinating thing to read but it did bring back a bit of a smile to his half masked face. Kakashi looked down at the letter he held and smiled at this one.

'The most Knuckle headed ninja of all.' The man thought as he read on.

_Sasuke's angry with me again! _

_But I'm fine with it, he's always angry,_

_So it doesn't bother me anymore._

_But Sasuke's changing right before me, and for some reason,_

_I feel that I can't stop him from going out and killing his brother._

_We met again, in the forest of death this time. He…told me he liked me and asked if I liked him too._

_I said I didn't. He's my friend and I don't want to upset Sakura-chan. _

_I just hope Kakashi-sensei doesn't find out about us meeting like this…_

_~Naruto_

Kakashi was mostly surprised by the fact that Naruto and Sasuke would keep a secret from their teacher but he wasn't surprised they would keep it from Sakura. Had Sakura read this letter in his place, Kakashi was sure that Sakura would feel isolated in knowing this small piece of information. That Sasuke held feelings for the other boy and that he had confessed those feelings only to be rejected in respect for Sakura's.

He looked over at Sakura and where she was sitting, watching to see any signs or hope that the girl might have found something within the few letters she read from Sasuke's point of view. But there was nothing.

Kakashi picked up another letter and read it.

_I can't wait for Sasuke to come over! We've been seeing each other for a few months now and we _

_Still haven't told Sakura anything about our secret 'relationship'. Sasuke says not to tell her, but I can't help it._

_Her feelings are important to me just as much as Sasuke's. But I can't do much from the sidelines. I'm just a witness._

_~Naruto_

Kakashi raised one eyebrow and felt he was catching onto something. What could be so strange about being on the sidelines? And just what was he a witness to?

The man let the letter fall out of his hands and onto the pile of other letters. In a total, there were probably 20,000 letters. Kakashi never thought it was slightly possible to write so many in just a few years. True it was three years since their very first mission with Tazuna and the bridge, but how was it that Naruto and Sasuke managed to keep writing for so long?

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><p><strong>An: That's it for the second chapter, don't worry folks, this is 15 chaps long.**


	3. New secrets

**So many reviews for this…I think…Anyways, third chapter, enjoy!**

**Warning: Word of caution, there will be a slight hint or reference as to what Sasuke and Naruto do in their…*Ahem* private time so don't go too wild.**

**Disclaimer: I hate saying this but I don't own Naruto!**

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><p>Kakashi Hatake was a bit heart broken to see his third pupil, Sakura Haruno, cry like she usually did when things were tough. The man looked to see what might have gotten her upset this time around and noticed a letter in her hands, being crushed under her undeniably strong grip. He looked down at the letter he held of Naruto's pile and sighed. 'She must have found one of the letters that proclaims Sasuke's strange fantasy for Naruto. Better go take a look anyways.' Kakashi thought as he got up from his sitting posture and walked over to where Sakura had been seated.<p>

The girl's hands were clenched tightly onto the letter and her tears had looked to be flowing non-stop. "Sakura, what is it?" Kakashi knew the answer was not going to be told by his pupil, so he took the letter from the girl's hands with gentleness and lifted the letter up so she would let go. Surprisingly, Sakura let go and wiped away her tears yet again.

"Sasuke was…in so much pain…and Naruto was…" Before she could finish the sentence, Sakura began to cry all over again.

As for the letter that was being held in Kakashi's hands, was now read as shown aloud in his head:

_He's an idiot, but I love him more than anyone in this world._

_It's strange to have someone smiling so much. _

_You almost forget about your pitiful life and hope this person will fill that void…_

_My revenge on my brother will have to wait because today…I made love to Naruto. _

_I turned 14 today so as a reward and as a way to congratulate me, Naruto had a 'surprise' for me._

_He's weird but he's all for me. I know I'll hurt Sakura's feelings, in fact, I hope she does read this._

_I hope we can tell our team mates about us someday. But for now…_

_They'll have to guess why Naruto's so happy all the time when he's not around ramen all day._

_~Sasuke~_

Kakashi was hoping a letter like this wouldn't come up too soon, but it did and it looked to be having a great effect on Sakura's emotions. Now Kakashi could see why Sasuke had not gone after his brother like he had said he would three years ago when they first came together as a team, when the introductions were being told. Instead, the boy stayed through out their missions and showed no signs of wanting revenge by the time the second year came around. Naruto had changed his personality just slightly.

Sakura cleared her eyes for the third time and pulled a bar of chocolate out of her pouch that was wrapped around the side of her leg. Kakashi let the girl be and allowed her to eat as it was nearly lunch time and they had not eaten since the morning came. Tsunade must have also explained things to Sakura as to why it was important to keep a fit body. It was things and event like these that occurred. But he was also seeing the problem from her eyes. It was the first time he felt saddened by the death of a comrade since his own teacher's and his friend's deaths.

The teacher placed the letter next to Sakura and walked back to his own pile of letters that had yet to be read. This day was long and gruesome as well as tiring having to read all these letters and only be allowed to eat. They were instructed to finish this whenever they were done reading all the letters. But with so much emotions that Sakura had, Kakashi knew it would only be a matter of time when the girl would feel too heart broken to read anything at all. But this was a ninja world and out here, no one was allowed the opportunity to show emotions, much less make it happen between two people. He thought back to how the letter claimed Sasuke's birthday and how it had said he had turned 14.

The man let out a small sigh and sat back down looking up at the now darkened sky that had clouded up the sun light. He wanted to take a break from this mess of letters but he also wanted to know what Naruto had seen and what the boy meant by being a witness. It wasn't easy to skim through the letters. There were some he read and some he didn't feel the need to since they were almost all about ramen and who bought what for the boy.

"Why did Sasuke and Naruto have to hide so much from us, Kakashi sensei? Weren't they happy to tell us anything?" Kakashi himself didn't know the answer to this nor did he think he wanted to know.

Why the two boys had not come to them sooner about their meetings but then again, it was something friends would have done and it really wasn't polite to butt in on another person's business with their friends unless their friends happened to be enemies. Kakashi looked up at Sakura, seeing the emotion of tears she had once more. He was getting tired of seeing the girl cry so much and wondered which would be easier for her to read. Naruto's letters which were mostly filled with Sasuke this and Sasuke that as well as ramen.

"Knowing you Sakura, they would have thought it was best at that time. Not to mention your abilities to over react and the way you handle Naruto, I suppose that's why he hasn't opened his mouth at all. As for Sasuke…well…it's a little obvious at this point. His desires to kill his brother have all but vanished since…" Kakashi could see that him saying anything more would only upset Sakura so he kept his mouth shut and just let the girl sit down beside him while he picked up a letter from Naruto's pile.

Upon picking it up, Kakashi read through it quickly but felt the need to go through each and every word.

_I feel bad about going behind Sakura's back so much but Sasuke's being killed on the inside and I feel…_

_I feel like I can't do anything about it! Sakura hardly notices because she's so into the whole 'bad boy' look._

…

_Sasuke told me he hated his brother but he also said he's not going to look for him or kill him. _

_He said he'd wait._

_Not only that but…Sasuke and I…actually did 'that'. Something only adults were supposed to do._

_It felt great having Sasuke hold me like that, like nothing else mattered in this world but me._

_So why do I have a bad feeling about this?_

_That's not all that happened today, some guy with white hair asked if I knew where he could find old lady Tsunade. He's a weird guy and a lousy personality. He also took all of my money, that thief! I hope Sasuke finds him and steals my wallet back!_

_~Naruto._

Kakashi had only one man in mind that had the decency to steal a kid's wallet or money in general. So if the man he had been thinking about, seen Naruto and met with him, was it a possibility that this man knew what might have happened on their mission? 'I'll have to ask Tsunade about this small piece of information…she must have seen Jiraiya that day.' Kakashi got up from his sitting position and looked up over to the Hokage's tower. Perhaps it would all be cleared up as to why Naruto and Sasuke died or if they were lucky, who their killers were.

But something was stirring within Sakura for she was holding another letter and this time she had a shocked look on her face instead of with tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Kakashi sensei, this letter…Sasuke didn't wind up going after his brother after all…look!" Kakashi didn't think there was anything odd with it as it was stated in the last letter he had read.

"Sakura, you showed me that letter." Kakashi was about to turn and walk away from her when Sakura ran up to him and shoved the letter in his face.

She looked angry and upset and it seemed to Kakashi as though Sakura was having a few issues of 'jealousy'. But Kakashi sighed and took the letter from her hands and read it in his head again. Thinking it was the same letter as before.

_Our third year as a group or team or whatever you call it and I'm already forgetting about my brother each day._

_Naruto and I have already become chuunins and now we're living together in the Uchiha mansion._

_But Naruto is still an idiot and he hasn't grown out of his stupidity at all._

_He's been out training most of his days off with some guy named Jiraiya. _

_I ran into Itachi during a solo mission. I had the chance to kill him but I didn't. _

_I had someone to go back to, someone who needed me. Itachi looked at me coldly, _

_Like he did so many years ago when I was just a kid. But I ignored his presence and left the area._

_I didn't care that he was around at all…it was great feeling like that. I only have Naruto to thank._

_On this very same day…I've got a mission and this time it will be all four of us._

_Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and I are all getting together once again._

_This time, it will be a big mission. We're about to stop two of the Akatsuki that have been after Naruto._

_I'll make sure they die for the trouble they caused Naruto!_

_~Sasuke~_

Kakashi was shocked to see that Sasuke had actually written out the letter that was on the very same day that they had been killed. From what the letter had said, he had met Itachi on the very same day. Was he responsible for their deaths? This one question alone paused Kakashi's way of thinking about Jiraiya and Tsunade's meeting. But then again, even if it was possible that Itachi had planned to kill Sasuke, it was odd that Itachi would kill Naruto as well. Now this had stopped their information gathering for only a few seconds until Kakashi was at Naruto's pile of letters, searching for one that he might have had written out on the day they died.

Another question popped into his mind and Kakashi had to wonder how it was possible that the Akatsuki would simply kill the one they wanted when they needed Naruto for whatever it was that they were planning. But with Sasuke's letter, Kakashi also thought his idea that Itachi might have killed the two could not be as likely as to someone else who might have known the boy's relationship with Sasuke. Was there another person present at the day of their deaths? If so…just who was he or she?

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><p><strong>An: Wow, the killer could be Itachi, Deidara or Sasori OR…somebody who they don't even know. What will become of this story? Read and review please! It's the only way I know you like it. :P There will be a poll on this so vote on who you think you would like to see the killer. Cause even if you do know who it is, you still don't get the basic plot of it all and how it went down. So don't be cheap!  
><strong>


	4. Sakura's meltdown

**You readers are fantastic, only three voters, but that's fine, can still have a few more mysteries. Read and enjoy this next chapter!**

**Warning: Contains violent thoughts and awkwardness!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, but I own the letters they wrote!**

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><p>Confusion and anger was now starting to seep into Kakashi's mind as he wanted to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. He did not like to rush things like this but when he wanted to find out what was going on at certain times, he <em>really <em>wanted to know. He and Sakura had been through at least twenty letters and not one of them seemed to give them a clue as to who their killer may be or if they met anyone who met with them before it happened. Kakashi was tempted to ask what was on Sakura's mind as she had not cried much since the last letter. Her composure to handling the rest of the letters seemed to be well off and she read them without showing anymore emotions. Perhaps she had grown accustomed to the letters.

Even so, the letters were proving to be difficult to read each time Kakashi picked another one up. He found it hard having to read one of Naruto's written letters and soon began thinking back to the day before they were assigned the mission. The day before their team mates had gotten killed; the day when all three of the students from team 7 had smiled together.

_Flash back~_

_Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki, had all been on separate missions until now. They had all grown amazingly with their new skills as well as becoming chuunins their first time around. As much as Iruka Umino, their latest teacher, would have preferred to see the kids stay in the village for most of their lives, he could not say a word as they were now under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake._

_Today was like any other day to Naruto and Sakura but not for their team mates, Kakashi and Sasuke. For some odd reason, these two had been acting strange for their day off before their given mission. Tsunade had called for them two days ago but Kakashi had re-scheduled the meeting for tomorrow. And so, the four of them had thought to gorge out on a meal, together like old times before they would become too busy once more.._

_They had gone to the place they hung out in the most, Naruto's favorite ramen stall, the Ichiraku's. Everyone was having a good time and nothing was out of the ordinary minus the few looks Sakura had been giving Naruto and Sasuke while they were seated at the chairs. But aside from the looks and the noisy chattering that Naruto had been doing, Kakashi wasn't picking up anything unusual so he dismissed his strange warning signals that were going off in his head that something was about to happen. The feeling was all too likely to be similar to Iruka's worrying._

_Naruto had already finished three bowls in the last ten minutes while Sasuke and Sakura were still on their first. As for Kakashi, he didn't bother touching his; instead he passed it on to Naruto. "Thanks for treating us, Kakashi sensei!" Naruto grinned like a goofball and snacked down on the extra bowl of ramen given to him. This was now his 4th bowl._

_After their small lunch gathering, they paid visits to each of their friends through out the village. Shikamaru's team was first and they were just on their way to go to a mission. Ino and Sakura were at odds with each other but Kakashi knew the two of them did not mean much when saying their old words back and forth to each other. _

_The next team came around just outside Kiba Inuzuka's place. Shino Auburame and Hinata Hyuuga had been visiting their team mate because he had caught a cold a few nights back; Kakashi had gotten the liberty of speaking with Kiba's mother, while Sakura had a small conversation with Shino, Hinata, and Kiba's older sister, Hana._

_End flashback~_

The sudden memory Kakashi thought back to had made him realize something he had seen while skimming through one of Naruto's letters. The boy was not very accurate when writing things out on a daily basis, but it sure provided a few hints and clues to who the killer might be. Kakashi did not like to think of his students as victims of a murder but rather children killed in war. Although it was not a war, it made the man feel a little better knowing they might not have died for nothing.

His reason for stopping the memory from coming back was because he remembered the letter that said something about Sasuke and him talking to Kiba and saying something about their little 'relationship'.

'Here it is…Naruto and Sasuke visiting Kiba…' Kakashi skimmed through it but this time, at a slower pace so he could catch all the words without having to stop.

_Can't believe I'm writing two letters in the same day!_

_But aside from that, we got to visit our friends today. _

_We never see them at all except on missions._

_Since this morning, Sakura's been acting strange, _

_I hope she doesn't know something about us!_

_As for Kiba, he was sick and Sasuke and I…I still can't believe we told Kiba!_

_We told Kiba today about our relationship. _

_I'm not sure if he's good at keeping secrets but we trust him._

The masked man paused at the words 'Told Kiba about our relationship'. It really wasn't possible that Kiba could have something to do with Sasuke and Naruto's deaths as he had been away on a mission the very same day. Kakashi looked back to Sakura who had a pile of letters spread out in a row. He thought back to the letter that claimed Sakura had been acting strangely on the very same day they were last seen smiling together. It was a day that was supposed to be filled with happy memories that they were making before their big mission. Although they would be seeing each other the day afterward, it was still a given that they would need to focus their attention on the task at hand. The mission itself was the plan to stop Akatsuki and their movements of going through out the different villages and searching for the tailed beasts.

Jiraiya had warned Kakashi of the Akatsuki but had the man known that the two that Sasuke and Naruto would be fighting would be the ones to responsible for his student's deaths, he would never have let the two boys go off on their own. He thought they could handle it. But while he was fighting against one of Deidara's deadly bomb-like weapons, Naruto and Sasuke were off fighting against the culprits. The last thing he had heard was the scream coming from Sakura. But before that, he had also heard Sasuke's voice, shouting out for Naruto.

Looking at the letter he had just finished reading, Kakashi took a break from the letters to give his body a bit of stretching. He looked over at Sakura who was now just sitting there, staring at the letters like they would soon move on their own. It was disturbing to see her so fixated on the last few things that held the two fallen ninjas back in the village.

"Sakura, why don't you take a break? I'll cover the rest of the letters later. You must be tired." Kakashi watched interestingly as Sakura did not protest like she would have done on other occasions and saw as she dragged her feet towards the direction of her home.

Kakashi wasn't sure what to do with his last student now. He was watching the girl unravel into something else, something that he hoped would not make her into something like that of a rogue ninja. Her speaking to him had become less now and he was feeling awkward every time he looked over at her. Sakura had become a doll that would not move or speak.

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><p>It was almost nightfall and Hinata Hyuuga and Kiba Inuzuka had just come back from the large rock that stood for all those who had been killed in action. They had paid their respects to Naruto's and Sasuke's newly engraved names and were both on their way home when they saw Sakura up ahead, her body, swaying in a strange motion. Kiba and Hinata looked at each other in concern and stopped in their tracks, Akamaru, the big white dog that followed Kiba everywhere he went, also stopped.<p>

"Kiba, what do you think we should do? Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun entrusted us with their secret…do you think…we should tell Kakashi sensei?" Hinata asked. Her pale lavender colored eyes, sparkling against the dimming sunlight.

"I regret ever saying I would keep it for them! They went ahead and got themselves killed! Besides, you heard what I told you, about Sasuke telling me about Sakura's actions. He knew this was coming. The only thing we can do now is sit around… until the right moment. Hate going behind Shino's back like this, but Sasuke and Naruto gave this mission to me and I'm not about to blab my mouth. Hinata, keep a watch on Sakura for me." Hinata nodded in agreement and the two of them went their separate ways.

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><p>In the Haruno household, there was not much to do around there except keeping it tidy and clean and washing dishes. It was an average home that you wouldn't know it was housing a female ninja with both her parents. Sakura knew at first glance as she stopped in front of her home that nobody was there to greet her. Her parents had been away on a date seeing as how their daughter was grown up and that she needed no other guidance. But they had obviously not known her so well.<p>

Sakura's green eyes looked tired and swollen from the tears she shed earlier. She had indeed, had a long ay reading a bunch of letters she never really cared for to begin with. An evil grin washed up on her face as she entered her home and walked up to her room, not bothering to turn the light on.

She placed her hands on the dresser in her room and hunched over until she could see her reflection in the mirror in front of her. Her pink hair, dimmed in the shade of the darkened room and her eyes lowered just a few inches and the grin on her face had grown wider.

"This is all…Naruto's fault!" Sakura grit her teeth together and clenched her hands into fists.

The girl had apparently lost her sense of mind as she stood there alone in her dark bedroom. If anyone were to walk in and see the girl standing the way she was now, they would probably see a stranger in Sakura's bedroom, for this…could not possibly be Sakura Haruno.

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><p><strong>An: Oh my, Hinata and Kiba know something we don't really know about, stay tuned!**


	5. Sai's appearance and Hinata's pain

**So many people getting so involved, there will be a new poll about this fic, up sometime near the next few chapters so keep a look out for that! This is where Tsunade and Jirairya come in. Also, making a manga for this, it should make its debut on Deviant art so look out for it, my username is KilalaSenpai!**

**WARNING: Contains violence!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto series…OK?**

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><p>Like Kiba had asked her to, Hinata Hyuuga had been trailing Sakura for half the day now but she saw no signs of anything out of the ordinary even when she used her Byakugan on Sakura, she didn't see what could be so threatening about her other than the fact that she had not spoken to much of the others despite her team mate's deaths. Hinata was worried about her and wondered if she could make her open up a bit. She knew Kiba and Sasuke could not be serious about Sakura's odd intentions. The girl was stronger than this and if Hinata could help it, she would try to see what Sakura's mind was thinking about.<p>

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><p>Mean while, the next day had given Tsunade a bit of a start when Jiraiya, a man who was apart of the Legendary Sannin team, came for a visit. Shizune had explained to the man beforehand that Tsunade did not wish to see anyone at this time but the white haired man was not taking the bait. He ignored Shizune's request for him to leave and demanded that the Hokage stopped the mission concerning Sakura and Kakashi. The man knew Tsunade for what she really was and knew that if anyone was hurting the most, it was her. She had seen two of her most precious people, die before her eyes and now she had a third one. Tsunade grit her teeth together as she swiveled around in the chair in the Hokage's office of the tower, her hands placed neatly under her chin.<p>

"Jiraiya, I sent those two on a mission purposefully to find Naruto and Sasuke's whereabouts. The boys are smart, I'll hand them that." The elder man did not know what she meant by this and snorted in reply.

"I heard the news, Tsunade. You have their bodies, don't you?" Jiraiya threw on an angry and aggressive facial expression to match Tsunade in a battle of a staring contest.

"I thought I did…but Sasuke…he's grown quite well. He outsmarted the both of us, Jiraiya. Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki are _alive_!" Tsunade's determined eyes had burrowed deep into Jiraiya's own eyes as he gasped slightly at this newfound information. He had seen with his own eyes, Sasuke and Naruto's lifeless bodies, scars running along each of their arms and their faces.

"That's not possible, we both saw the bodies! You drew blood from them!" Jiraiya did not mean to be protesting against dead people coming back to the living world, but he also didn't think that Sasuke would have something of a plan like this to hide away and fake their deaths.

"Well it is, get used to it. Naruto and Sasuke are out there somewhere but where…we won't know until we send someone out to find them." Tsunade's face was not full of regret or sadness like she had the past few days, as of today, she was extremely happy.

Shizune smiled lightly as Jiraiya began to fee a little unsettled knowing the little brat was alive all this time even if it were only for a couple of weeks. But it led to the question as to where the two of them were now. Tsunade held the answer in her hand and summoned for someone named 'Sai'. She was hoping to have the very best people to track them down.

The door to the Hokage's office, opened up after a few knocks to the door and in walked a boy who looked oddly familiar to Sasuke. Only this boy, had cropped, black hair but nevertheless, he looked just like the other boy. Jiraiya watched as the boy casually strode in, smiling. His clothes were something that Jiraiya thought a woman would wear as it showed off the boy's belly button along with his muscled stomach. He wore black gloves that only covered three of his fingers on both his hands.

His black top was covered by another black top that had only one sleeve going down one of his arms while the other arm was left bare and exposed. His skin was almost as pale as Sasuke's and his eyes were the same onyx color as Sasuke's. Jiraiya got a bit freaked out thinking he was looking at an altered mirror of some sort. He looked to Tsunade for answers. "You're not sending this brat are you? He'll be finished off by Akatsuki if they happen to find Naruto and Sasuke by the time the brat does find them."

"He is not much but he's basically all we have left. We could have Kiba and Shino and Hinata search them out but as I've heard from their squad leader, they're in line for a mission and so right now, don't have the time to go. I know how you feel, Jiraiya, sending one person alone is not enough but this is all I have to offer in this situation." Tsunade motioned for Shizune to inform Sai on the details of the mission while she talked with Jiraiya outside of the room.

Shizune nodded and she pulled out a scroll out of her kimono and handed it to Sai while Tsunade and Jiraiya walked out of the room. Jiraiya was not a man to complain about the decisions of a hokage but this was different, this meant the lives of two boys who he knew personally and of their small secret. He had given the two boys his honest truth that he would not tell a soul about what they had told him.

"Sai is an expert in solo missions so I'll suggest that you don't bark up my tree about it any further!" Tsunade was obviously pushed to the limits of desperate needs to finding out where the two boys were. She wanted them back immediately.

"I'll have no problem with that but…shouldn't you inform team 7's, Kakashi Hatake?" Tsunade looked down with concern in her eyes.

Tsunade looked back at Jiraiya and said, "Those two can not know about them yet. I still haven't received the full report on what happened back on that mission, so there's no way I could send those two now. We need to find a reason why those letters were written." Tsunade had proved an excellent point. If Sakura Haruno and Kakashi Hatake were to abandon their current mission of reading the letters, then there would not be anyone who knew the two boys well enough to know what was going on in the letters had the woman assigned the mission to someone else.

"You're not planning on keeping Sasuke and Naruto a secret even _after _they get back are you?" Jiraiya asked, his face, puzzled by the idea of the two boys coming back and meeting their friends once more.

"You know something, Jiraiya? I've been watching those two since their last few missions together. I knew something was up by the way Sakura was acting but I never asked her anything about it. Jiraiya, I'll have you go with Sai in case Sasuke doesn't trust our friend. You are dismissed, Sai, Jiraiya!" As if on cue, Sai appeared next to Tsunade as Jiraiya was left to wonder just what had all went down.

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><p>Kakashi Hatake had been walking the streets, holding a large box of all the letters Sasuke and Naruto had ever written. The streets were empty of the villagers and there had been no sign of the other teams. It wasn't odd for people not to be in the middle of the village streets during the night, but he thought there must be at least a few teams up at this time of night. He walked past the Ichiraku noodle shop and heard Iruka Umino's voice, the very same man who had been the last teacher of Sasuke and Naruto. He sounded depressed.<p>

The squad leader stopped walking and decided to take a break from his mission and to see how Iruka was holding up with the deaths of his students. "It's been a long time since I've seen you here, Kakashi! Here is a bowl on the house!" The girl, daughter to the shopkeeper, Ayame, set a bowl of hot noodles down next to Iruka's bowl.

"Ah, thank you." Kakashi politely accepted the bowl and set the box of letters down onto the ground and sat down next to Iruka who looked to be plucking at the Naruto pieces in his noodles.

Kakashi had to hand it to the teacher. The man was holding up a lot better then he thought he would. The two men ate little bits and pieces of their food, Iruka, never noticing that Kakashi had taken off his mask in public in memory of his student's wild behaviors to when they used to try and see what his mouth looked like. A bitter thought crossed Kakashi's mind as he ate. He had almost forgotten almost all of the fun times that Naruto had tried to begin their days with. He came across a Naruto floating by itself and then next, an egg.

For once since the proclaimed deaths of his students, Kakashi was letting his tears flow. 'Naruto…you're never really alone no matter where you are…' Kakashi quit eating as just eating the bowl of ramen brought too many memories to his mind and it was giving him a bit of a head rush.

Iruka also stopped eating and he got up from his seat, glancing at Kakashi before leaving. The young man had obviously thought it was Kakashi's fault that Naruto and Sasuke were about to be buried any day now. But even though Iruka showed the anger through his eyes, he didn't say anything and instead, left the shop and walked home. Kakashi couldn't feel even worse then he already was after watching Sakura for most of the days and now, he had to see Iruka in pain.

Kakashi picked up the box and left with his still left over ramen noodles in the bowl. He did not have the appetite to eat anything that had to do with Naruto.

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><p>Sakura stopped short about a half a foot away from Lady Tsunade's office door. She was pondering on whether or not she should bother the woman with such an unimportant request. She was about to knock on the door had it not been for Tsunade's voice calling her in. Did the woman know she had been standing out in the hall? Either way, Sakura realized that Tsunade was sharper then ever.<p>

"Sakura, have you found something within those letters?" Tsunade's question caught Sakura off guard as the girl stood there, fear drenched over her face like a scared little girl.

"Sort of, milady." Sakura's eyes swayed from Tsunade's as she glanced from Shizune to the pig, TonTon and then back to Lady Tsunade, who had been watching the girl with slight interest.

Sakura's eyes looked almost on the brink of tears and her face would be pale in comparison to Sasuke's. Sakura swallowed hard and told Tsunade what the woman wanted to hear the most; the complete report that Kakashi had failed to do as team leader after the mission.

"I always knew Sasuke was hiding something. Even Naruto…I knew. But I didn't say anything; I didn't want them to think I was a pushy and nosy girl. So for the time being…I kept their secret…they were in love and I knew I had to keep their secret until the mission. Sasuke, Naruto, Kakashi sensei and I all got separated from each other but…Deidara and Sasori were after Naruto and Sasuke….he…he had to face Itachi. I managed to fight off Sasori while Naruto and Sasuke took on Itachi and Deidara.

But before I could go to their aid…Naruto…fell off the cliff we were standing on and Sasuke screamed out for him and…he jumped after him. I thought that Naruto and Sasuke would come back up like they usually would. Itachi and Deidara went in after them but they came back up a few minutes later saying they were dead! That's when I realized…Itachi and Deidara had actually switched Naruto's and Sasuke's bodies with fake ones! I'm sorry, lady Tsunade. Those bodies your men recovered…they're not Naruto and Sasuke."

When Sakura looked down at the floor of the office, Tsunade was smiling. "I already know, Sakura. You can rest for the night." Sakura wasn't sure which was harder to accept; the fact that Tsunade wasn't going to punish her with keeping this a secret nor that had the woman not been surprised by the fact that Naruto and Sasuke could possibly be alive.

"But…how?" Sakura's tears swelled in her eyes.

"Don't mention this to Kakashi but…I have a few people looking for them as we speak. But Sakura, you can not tell anyone about this. Not even your friends. I feel…there is something more to this. Naruto is in Akatsuki's hands and we have to take better precautions to this new cause." Sakura nodded in agreement, her tears, fading away already.

Tsunade dismissed the young girl and went back to looking out over the village. Shizune set the pet pig, down on the floor and talked a bit with Tsunade. "Do you really think the Akatsuki have gotten a hold of Naruto, milady?" Shizune asked, a worried look spread across her face.

"I understand switching Naruto's body with a fake…but why would they bother with Sasuke?" Tsunade and Shizune were left by themselves to figure out this strange new puzzle.

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><p>Hinata had been well off during her tailing of Sakura. She had just finished listening to Sakura's side of the story and after hearing that Naruto had not been killed; her tears fell like the rain from the sky. But as a female ninja, Hinata knew she still had a mission to see to and tears were not allowed for this one. Sakura had proven herself to be depressed about the whole mess so she did not think the pink haired kunoichi was really all that bad. Hinata stopped her from walking home, smiling and tried her best to cheer her up.<p>

"Hm, Hinata? Is your team not back in the village yet, it's awfully late." The said girl smiled cheerfully and began to walk beside her.

"No, they're still on a mission. Kurenai sensei told me to stay back in case Kiba's sister came back earlier then they did. You know how worried Hana gets when Kiba isn't home yet." Hinata replied, the cheery voice never changing its high pitched tone.

"Yeah, she would totally murder Kiba if no one told her where he was." Sakura laughed quietly during their walk to Sakura's house and Hinata still could not see anything wrong with the girl.

"Um, Sakura-chan? If…if Sasuke were...I mean…if Sasuke said he liked Naruto-kun…would you be upset?" Hinata had to muster up all her strength to say Naruto's name aloud.

But Sakura didn't appear to be listening as she seemed to be off in a small little world of her own and this time…Hinata could see why Kiba told her to keep an eye on the girl. Hinata activated her Byakugan and saw that Sakura's inner spirit had been shattered and her blue chakra was growing out of control like swirling emotions inside a large pool.

"S-Sakura-chan?" Hinata touched Sakura's shoulder with the touch of a finger and just like that, Hinata's screaming could be heard through out the village, waking up any nearby neighbor.

Sakura had turned around to face Hinata but Sakura was not quite herself. Her green eyes were blank and a smile had been placed on her lips. Hinata was face with the terror that Kiba had warned her of. The girl had turned into a monster, she was a girl with a monster personality, and right now, she was holding onto Hinata's finger, snapping it like a twig and all before the other girl could do anything to jump into defense mode. Nearby, Kakashi had been walking with the box of letters in his hands when he heard Hinata's loud screaming

He dropped the box and leaped across the houses, preparing himself for facing the enemy. But once he got there, all he could see was Hinata's crumpled up body lying curled up in a ball, blood seeping from her mouth and Hinata, holding her finger in agony and pain. But there was no one else with her, not from what Kakashi could see. Kakashi felt it was only right to get Hinata to the hospital while he got Pakkun to watch the box of letters he had dropped. He wanted to find the person who did this but it had happened so fast and he did not know the condition that Hinata was in, so he let it go for the ANBU to handle.

But once they got to the hospital, Hinata would not say who had done this to her but only that the stranger had a weird form of chakra. Hinata was admitted to the hospital and was told that she had to stay there for at least a couple of weeks to get her ribs back in their rightful places. Hinata thought back to the mission she was supposed to carry out for Kiba. But her body had been in shock as it had happened too fast for her reactions and now all she could do was lay still and hope for the miracle of her team mates' earliest return to the village.

As for Sakura Haruno, the girl had disappeared without a trace and back into the safety of her home. She did the same thing as she did the few nights before; staring into her mirror and realizing what she was thinking. 'This was Naruto's fault…this is…Naruto's fault!' Sakura swung her hand across her dresser causing the objects on her desk to go flying at the wall, crashing and a few items, breaking into pieces.

Sakura's life was turning into the worst nightmare she had imagined for herself.

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><p><strong>An: Poor Hinata, well after this chapter, there will be a poll up soon. And! For anyone interested in me making a manga for this fanfic, I'll make a poll for that so you can vote, I've already started the cover page, it's my first real comic so be gentle.**


	6. Shock and Grief

**Getting so attach to this, I'll be posting up the art on DA and you can give me some feed back on whether I have the skills to keep a manga on this. There is also a poll that I think I've already posted up or anyways, just look at my profile and you will see the link to my cover page for the new manga I have up.**

**Warning: Contains more mysteries…will we ever get past this?**

**Disclaimer: I don't OWN Naruto. NO I DON'T**

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><p>The day felt long and tiresome for an old man such as Jiraiya but for Sai, the boy Tsunade had sent on this mission had not complained or even talked for that matter and this was beginning to get on Jiraiya's nerves. He didn't mind being along for the ride but so long as he was able to speak with someone. Jiraiya looked over at the boy as they walked along the dirt path that was leading from just outside the gates of Konoha.<p>

They had only just gotten out of the village when the beam of sun light seems to grow hotter and hotter on poor Jiraiya's body. He grumbled something under his breath, his large hands swinging back and forth and swinging a large brown sack with them and going along with the rhythm of his legs. "Don't you know how to talk little boy?" Sai did not seem to react to the name 'little boy'. He was obviously not as gullible as Naruto nor did he have a cool act that went with his personality. Instead, he seemed neutral.

"I'm sorry, sir. But as a member of the ANBU, it would be wise for me to stick to the current mission at hand, right, master Jiraiya?" Sai smiled up at the white haired man and remained silent once more.

Jiraiya had not felt this tensed since he tried to peek in on Tsunade during a night at the open baths. It was like he was trying to make a conversation with a new friend, one who could tell him that he did not like him by the way his smile stayed on his face. Jiraiya let out a long sigh and looked over his shoulder, witnessing the heavy bag he had been carrying. "Why do we need all this stuff for, what's in it?" Jiraiya asked, his face still in the direction of his shoulder where his hand held tight on the bag strap.

Sai looked up at Jiraiya and smiled again seemingly getting creepier and creepier every time he smiled. "It is my art supplies." Jiraiya could feel his mind question itself, questioning the facts of why he had been fit with him to begin with. Wasn't a leaf headband more than enough to prove he _was _part of the leaf village? But this wasn't all that had the older man questioning things; there was also the slight problem as to why _he _was carrying it and not Sai. Surely if it were Sai's things, the man should carry it.

Jiraiya's shoulders slumped and he just hoped that the sun wouldn't get to his muscles before a fight did.

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><p>Kiba, Shino and their squad leader, Kurenai, had heard of their team mate's misfortune of the previous night. Tsunade had informed them that Hinata was perfectly fine now but the fact that Hinata was found in such a position would not change Tsunade's mind that something strange was going on in their village. If it was anything normal, she would have guessed her dear old team mate, Orochimaru were behind the attack. But the hokage knew it could not be him and soon, she grew restless as the thought of needing Naruto and Sasuke back in the village grew all too large for her brain to process, hokage or not.<p>

Tsunade had done the best she could to heal Hinata's hand and she had managed to stop the internal bleeding but Hinata's mind was pretty shaken up by the ordeal of last night and she could not force anything out of Hinata that would tell the woman, who had done this in the first place. Kurenai and Shino were both shocked to hear about her being in the hospital but Kiba was not, for in Kiba's eyes…laid the certain truth.

But Tsunade had not noticed Kiba's odd looks or by the way he acted. She allowed for them to have a small pause in their next mission and let them see Hinata when they had the chance.

Hinata looked lifeless almost as much as the fake bodies of Naruto and Sasuke. Only difference, the girl's body was shaking and her light, pale eyes were widening every second. Her dark purple hair added to the touch of a scene like she was a slain geisha woman. Her beauty was still there but her body had been in shock for almost the whole morning. Tsunade's group of medical ninja had not been able to stop her shaking but they were able to sedate her for a while but only for the night and in the morning, she was like a shaking rabbit.

Neji Hyuuga, Hinata's cousin, had come by the same time that Kiba and Shino had, on behalf of Hinata's father, Hiashi Hyuuga, who had sadly been busy with training Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister. Kurenai and Kiba both saw through that act of Hiashi's and both agreed he wasn't a person they should run to whenever one of his own got hurt. Shino however, was trying to see the point of views from both sides.

Kiba and Shino stood silently by while Kurenai babied Hinata, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, feeling the vibrations of her shaking. Whatever happened to Hinata was not going away.

"Who could have done this? Hinata's scared out of her wits!" Kurenai said sharply as she took a quick glance out the window and saw a dark shadow quickly pass by the window. Hinata's sudden burst of coughing caught her teacher's attention and Kurenai had to keep the girl upright so that she could cough a little easier.

"You OK, Hinata?" Shino Auburame asked as the young girl seemed to be coming back to her senses. Neji saw that Hinata was still in shock though, he could see right through her calming, pale eyes.

Neji knew Hinata was not really OK, nor was she back to her old self but she was trying, just like one person he used to know-never giving up on life. Neji smirked to himself and recalled the many times the boy had gotten back up after a beating or when someone had called him 'the devil'. He had not been watching the boy as much as he was watching Sasuke. He hated to admit his slight interest in the secretive boy.

"You probably shouldn't walk just yet, Hinata-sama. I can tell your wounds are still quite deep." Kurenai looked to Neji for a confirmation on Hinata's current state and he simply gave the woman a slight nod of the head.

Kurenai laid Hinata back down on the bed and looked out the window again. Her eyes could not deceive her and she knew what she saw. It was human, quick but still plainly visible. And she knew what and who it was. Sakura Haruno. Her suspicions were dwelling in her brain.

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><p>Kakashi let out a sigh and looked out the window of his apartment. It was another day of a mission and as well as some extra looking into about what happened the night before. Thinking back to Hinata's situation, Kakashi looked to the box of letters. It was funny to think that strange things happened just soon after the appearance of Naruto's and Sasuke's unearthed letters.<p>

The man got dressed slowly but well-paced and he occasionally found himself staring at the team 7 group photo they had taken on their first day together as a team. Just to think about team 7 again was enough to send Kakashi to the floor, wallowing in self pity and feeling guilty about the mission. He had never felt more vulnerable in his life before, not since he met Obito and getting to know the real side of him.

But like his teacher had once told him, 'Let the past stay passing, and focus on the future in your hands'. It was a bit of a motto among the group and it was a sad thing to hear that motto again. He couldn't even begin to think there were a time where he had forgotten it but now…he had, and a new gush of guilt washed over him as he realized that he should have at least told his own group that very same motto. But what difference did it make if two of his students were already dead?

He yawned and looked at the box full of letters. It was a tricky mystery to solve but he began to think about putting the pieces together and if his suspicions were correct, he would hate having to face the full truth. So far he had gathered that Naruto and Sasuke were intimate with each other during the few years they had been together. All this had happened while Sakura had no clue about it. And then the letter explaining their very last day together, all happy and smiling except for Sakura. Perhaps he didn't want to admit that his third student was crazy enough to try and rid the two boys on her own, it was foolish and simply unconvincing for him to accept.

Kakashi was at a loss as to what to do with his suspicions so he thought a good old trip to the Hokage's office was in order.

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><p><strong>An: Boy, do I got so much more for this story. Going to have to end it here though, but I did not rush, since there was too much information I had written down for the fic, so…in the next chapter, we'll see more of Hinata's emotional thoughts and just what she had seen in Sakura before she collapsed as well as Sakura entering the hospital! All up next time so stay tuned!**


	7. Mission assigned and a new threat

**Internets are really a pain, mostly firefox…**

**Warning: Evil thinking, new characters arising!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own incredibly cool Naruto, but I do own this plot, nya!**

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><p>Neji could see what was going on. Hinata knew her attacker but she was not willing to say who or why. He found himself staring at a couple of birds in the trees just outside the hospital building. His long, brunette hair hung down from both sides of his head. Neji Hyuuga used to have his hair bunched all together into a pony at the back but as he grew older, his hair too, grew old with him as did his taste for how his hair should be kept. A strong-banded and well tied ponytail had kept his hair from coming apart like his old one did just before it broke when he was practicing his new jutsu. Hinata had given him one at the start of the New Year, telling Neji that it would bring him good luck. So far, it did. But Neji was not one to believe in such things for he knew they would not mean a thing if you were bound by an uncertain fate. And all the while Hinata had been cooped up in the hospital for the remainder of the morning; Neji had been second-guessing the thought of luck and wondered if he should give the ponytail back to her to at least believe in something.<p>

"I thought I would find you here, Neji!" Tenten who was an overly active girl, loved weapons and she was also very skilled at sparring with the other teams in the village.

Her hair was a lighter shade of brown and had been done up into two round buns at the back of her head. She was a team mate of Neji's and also a hyper ninja second to Naruto. Neji was relieved to see the girl. It was the best thing since he had to visit Hinata in the hospital. Neji looked back at the hospital building with a knowing stare. He didn't want to visit his cousin, not that she was too beneath him to be visited but because he couldn't stand the sight of seeing his cousin in that mess. But now that Tenten was there to calm him down a little, Neji was feeling a little better.

"Where else could I be? Lee's off training with our teacher, and Lord Hiashi's too busy with Hanabi. Aside from that…Hinata-sama is not telling us what happened." Tenten nodded, showing Neji she understood every word being said.

Neji turned his attention to the ground, leaving Tenten the opportunity to speak. "I heard it from Sakura who said she heard it from Kakashi. He was the one who brought Hinata to the hospital last night. Still can't picture someone from the village doing that to one of the most high-ranked families!" Neji smiled but only because the girl was trying to cheer him up. It was working.

But the smile he had on soon left when he recalled the sentences, 'Kakashi' and 'He was the one who brought Hinata in.' Neji wasn't sure what was going on with that team anymore. First both their team members die on the same day and then their teacher just happens to be at the scene when Hinata was almost near death. He did not want to think the man was the cause of this for he knew the man had been an excellent ninja and as an added plus, he had a name for himself. Neji didn't know what to say to Tenten. The only thought he had on his mind was team 7.

Hinata on the other hand was not in the best shape to talk. Her breathing was growing weaker by the second and her body was beginning to drip with sweat. Both Shino and Kurenai were worried about Hinata and asked the medical ninjas if there was anything they could do for her. While Kurenai and Shino were trying to find a solution for Hinata's strange illness, Kiba knew before he met with Hinata of what he needed to do. Kiba was straining to listen to Hinata's words as he had told the girl to whisper in his ear as to who it really was.

"_She's hurting…Kiba…Saku…ra." _Hinata coughed and Kiba drew back his head just in time, catching something in his hands as he did.

'A food pellet?' Kiba asked himself as he examined the rather large, orange pill he held in his hand.

He sniffed the pill and cringed at it, holding the pill away from him. It smelled sour, sourer than an old carton of milk. This food pellet was not something Kiba had seen before or even smelled before and this pellet had come from Hinata's mouth. Was this what was making the girl sick? And why had Hinata been defending Sakura? Kiba looked at the pill in his hand and then back down at the young girl who looked to be getting better.

"You should rest a bit, Hinata. Shino and I will find out what this pellet is. And…I'll make sure to ask Sakura what happened." With this said, Kiba turned and walked out, never knowing that Hinata had her arm stretched out and her eyes full of tears.

Kiba stuck the pellet in his coat pocket and walked out of the building, looking back as he did. He had lied to Hinata when he said he would work together with Shino into finding out more about the pill. Kiba wanted to get to the bottom of this merry-go-round mystery and just confront Sakura where Sasuke had failed to do so. Thinking back to what the boy had said back then, it was all but a blur of a memory but it was still fresh in his head, every detail and every word that his friends had told him.

_Flashback ~_

_Loud sneezing and large amounts of coughing could be heard in the next room of the Inuzuka household. Team 7's Kakashi Hatake, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, had all visited the poor being known as Kiba Inuzuka, in hopes the boy would get better from the cold that he had apparently gotten from Shino, who had gotten it from one of his bugs._

_Hana, Kiba's older sister, had been helping her mother with making Kiba a good soup remedy that they had picked up from Tsunade when team 7 had dropped by unexpectedly to pay them a brief visit._

_Akamaru had not left Kiba's side as Sasuke and Naruto had gone into Kiba's room, letting Sakura and Kakashi talk with the other two Inuzukas. Sasuke and Naruto both sat down near Kiba's bed, smiling. But Kiba did not smile back but rather, gave a slight nod with his head to acknowledge their being there. _

"_You look worse than a sick dog, Kiba!" Naruto had brought this up because everyone had told the blond boy that Kiba had been as sick as a dog. Now seeing the other boy face-to-face, he did not think that Kiba was on the same level as a dog; a stupid remark of a joke that he had come up with in such a short amount of time._

_Sasuke nudged Naruto on the side of the arm and gave Kiba a concentrating look and told Kiba the real reason why they wanted to be here. "I'm not sure you are able to keep our secret, Kiba. But you're the only one Naruto trusts, so I'll trust him with this decision. Kiba…Naruto is…you won't believe it but…he's pregnant." There was a long silence in the room as both Kiba and Akamaru had to look at each other before they could look back at the two boys sitting in front of them. _

_Kiba let out a sneeze before laughing out loud as Naruto turned to Sasuke and shrugged his shoulders, looking a bit saddened that the friend he had requested, turned out to be the one who wouldn't take it seriously as he knew he wouldn't. "I told you we should've asked Hinata. At least she's more patient and understanding than this moron." Sasuke sat back with his hands in his pockets, smirking. He knew any comment made to Kiba would get the better of Kiba and he would soon be asking for the request._

"_It's fine if you don't believe us, Kiba. We knew what your reaction would be." Naruto stood up and was hoping Sasuke would follow him out into the living room where Sakura and Kakashi were._

_But Sasuke sat there, still smirking and just when Naruto was about to leave the room, Akamaru bit onto the hem of Naruto's black shirt, tugging at it as if to say "Come sit back down"._

_Naruto smiled and sat down next to Sasuke once more. Kiba was no longer laughing. "I'm not saying you won't need Hinata for this but, if it's something you want only me to do, you ask me!" Kiba crossed his arms as he sat cross-legged on his bed. _

_Sasuke remained in his posture while Naruto had the conversation with Kiba. The blonde was good at convincing people like Kiba or practically anyone he wanted to. "We are asking you, you retarded dog!" However…Naruto also had a few flaws within his nature of convincing people._

"_Back to our original conversation, Naruto is pregnant and we hoped you would be our…bodyguard. Sakura's up to something. I'm not sure what, but she's been acting funny and she thinks I don't have a clue what she's planning. And as to how you fit into all of this, Kiba, you'll guard our secret with your life. If you have to, tell Hinata about it. I don't want Sakura knowing that we know about her." Kiba was in shock to hear what Sasuke was talking about. Naruto being pregnant was a joke but this was serious. Sakura was somehow an evil schemer now?_

"_But how do you know if Sakura's really planning something? She seems like every fan girl of your, Sasuke." Sasuke put his hands together, resting his elbows on his legs. Kiba's question was really tough on Naruto as Sasuke could tell._

"_I'm guessing Sakura knows, about Naruto and me and…" Sasuke trailed off and looked at Naruto's stomach. He was about to say "and the unborn child" but he knew Sakura could not have known about this unless Naruto said something aloud. It was clearly a bit one-sided in Sasuke's claims but he didn't care. He had a bad feeling and it was not going to leave until he felt reassured again._

"_I keep telling you, Sasuke. Sakura's not like that, she's too strong to let her jealousy take over that quickly." Sasuke smiled lightly at his lover and only hoped he would be wrong._

"_Why not ask Tsunade about this?" Naruto cringed at the woman's name. Sasuke let out a sigh and sat up straight to look Kiba directly in the eyes._

"_Tsunade…will destroy the child." There was an awkward silence in the air and Akamaru hung his head in shame, whimpering as though it were his fault that there was such a bad tension._

_Sasuke looked to the floor of Kiba's room and did not feel like saying anything more in fear of hurting Naruto's pride. The boy had such great faith in their new Hokage since their old one had died from a heart attack in his sleep. He had looked up to the woman like an honorable grandson might have, had the woman had any children. But now the boy was beginning to resent her. Sasuke had told Naruto about his findings on the child that Naruto was to give birth to and this was what tore Naruto's heart apart._

"_If you guys want me to keep your secret, I'll keep it. I'll also keep an eye on Sakura for you guys. Free of charge!" Kiba leaned back on his hands and smiled._

"_Heh…I told you so, Sasuke!" Naruto's laugh was probably the only thing that allowed Kiba to laugh himself._

"_Yeah, whatever." Sasuke told Naruto as they both stood up and left the room, giving Kiba their best regards and acting as though they had been laughing at something hilarious._

_End Flashback~_

After that day, the day before they had the mission, Kiba would have went with their team had he known they would not come back alive. Knowing this now, Kiba clenched his hands into fists and grit his teeth, seething with anger that his two friends, whom he had their trust, had died while on a mission-now Hinata was in the hospital and only because _he _had asked the girl to watch out for Sakura. But today would be different; he was planning on ending the problem once and for all. He would be seeking out Sakura.

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><p>Meanwhile, somewhere in the village, Sakura had been doing odd jobs around the village, all her own idea. She did not get this as a mission from Tsunade, instead, she had offered to help in different areas of the village such as: weeding a lawn, moving heavy objects with ease as well as help bake some food with some of the elders; all in the same time as thinking about the girl in the hospital; the one who had gotten away.<p>

'Just wait for me Hinata…I'll come back for you. And you'll learn after this not to open your mouth about Sasuke-kun.' Sakura's mind had been warped since the event of last night and she was acting a little too cheerful.

She swiped her forehead from the sweat that poured out of her skin from the hot sun that had already risen in the sky. She bent over, still crouching near the tall weeds out on a front lawn that had been growing since last year. This was the last of the odd jobs she would do before calling it quits and heading over to see a certain person.

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><p>Dark and empty, the cave shielded out any sign of light and acted as a shelter for the men who had all been gathered there, standing around with nothing to do but kick rocks or master more of their skills with their jutsus. Two of the men had been standing together, talking. Both of them had black long trench coats with red clouds patterned all over it. One of them had black hair and black eyes while the other had light blue eyes and blonde hair that was put up in a ponytail. These two, were Deidara and Itachi Uchiha. They belonged to the most vicious organization ever imagined, the Akatsuki. They were a group of men, all whom had betrayed their villages andor caused havoc among others. They were a band of men who had been feared by just about every human being; except for two people who they had come across while searching for the Jinchuuriki, Naruto.

"This is really boring, un. Is that Uzumaki kid going to make us wait eight months?" Deidara had a strange way of showing emotional behavior as did Itachi for the man simply looked down at him with a blank stare.

"We allowed them to come here, Deidara. We'll wait as long as we have to for that kind of power to be born. It's never happened before and I'm getting tired of talking with you." Itachi told the man and walked away leaving Deidara to pout in Itachi's absence.

It had not been too long since Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had come to stay with them. Itachi, Sasori and Deidara had all been present on the day they helped the duo escape from their village. Deidara had at first protested against this but it was Sasori who had later convinced the man to allow them to tag along for the ride. Itachi had not been expecting such an outcome like this. He really did not expect to see his brother come to love ever again after what he had done to their family so many years ago.

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><p>Standing there and feeling quite dumb about his third student, Kakashi was told something he did not want to hear. Tsunade had been informing him about Sakura's recent activity as well as a few reasons why she did not trust the girl. And all Kakashi had been doing was read letters and feel sorry for his last student. And why shouldn't he be? She was almost his half last student if Tsunade hadn't told him about Naruto and Sasuke being alive.<p>

"I still think you're wrong about Sakura. There's no way she could pull off being an evil character. She has a different side to her." Kakashi did not know why he was defending the young girl when she was clearly smart enough to do it and emotionally hurt.

"Yes, Kakashi…she has an evil side to her." Tsunade's cold eyes peered at Kakashi's clenched fists. She smiled.

"I want you to use your nin-dogs and trail after Sai and Jiraiya. I've already sent them on the mission to retrieve Sasuke and Naruto. They should be nearby still if you hurry now." She leaned back in her chair, Shizune, who had been standing and looking out the window, glanced back at Tsunade with a worried look.

"But Lady Tsunade, you saw those tears in Sakura's eyes, didn't you?" Shizune had been listening to all of it. She was not as rough or harsh on the girl like Tsunade was.

"Fake tears, Shizune. You of all people should know what is faked and what isn't. And I'm surprised you didn't pick up on Sasuke and Naruto's bodies sooner." Kakashi watched Shizune as the younger woman let her head drop in shame, obviously agreeing to what she was saying.

"I suppose since…what do you want me to do with those letters?" Kakashi had been reading them since a few days ago and what good were they if he already knew his favorite students were still alive.

"Those letters might mean a lot to the boys, I'm sure. Put them in a bag and carry it with you!" Tsunade smiled at Kakashi and waved her hand at him telling him to 'shoo'.

Kakashi sighed quietly and left the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked to Shizune to see if the girl understood the concept of how a girl's mind could be easily swamped with emotions. "Sakura's not a kid anymore, Shizune. She's growing up…but in a different path." Shizune nodded her reply.

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><p><strong>An: On such a roll here. Anyways, review if you want but it will take me a while to get back to you cause of Fire fox. It's hard updating stuff that won't work…**


	8. Confronting Enemies

**Didn't think anyone would pay attention to this fic when I had it first planned out but now…woah! Anyways, I know I said this before but I'll say it again, I am making a manga for this because I myself got inspired by this fic. Sound crazy? Actually it's a test to see if I can really use my manga studio but it will follow the story that much I'm sure.**

**Warning: Contains confrontation and a few more laughs with Sai! And a bit of cursing! Shounen-ai (BoyXboy love)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, sorry!**

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><p>It was hard to believe that Naruto was going to have his child-<em>His <em>child. Sasuke Uchiha shuddered at the word 'child' with anticipation. It had only been a month and a couple of days since they had come to the Akatsuki hideout with the help of Sasori, Itachi and Deidara. Looking around the cave with his coal colored eyes, Sasuke let out a small sigh. The cave was large enough for the whole organization of Akatsuki to be there including him and Naruto. But it was certainly no place for a child to grow up in. Sasuke was not sure about this at first, but what Sakura had done during the mission; Sasuke knew it wouldn't be safe to stay in the leaf village for very long with her so close.

That was when the Akatsuki stepped in to help them out. Sasuke gave a low snort as he thought back to how they had treated the two of them so kindly and even provided the two extra bodies for them to escape with a clean getaway. The boy knew it had to be some kind of joke as there was no way they would accept Sasuke _and _Naruto to go to their hideout. Sasuke knew the men had what they always wanted and this was what killed him the most.

A month ago, Sasuke had sworn to protect Naruto from the group of Akatsuki but now he was going back on his word as a ninja. Naruto had not said anything about the odd kindness they had been getting from their enemies but it was probably because of the boy's changing personality. One minute Naruto was happy and delighted to see Sasuke and the next; he was jumping down the other boy's throat for bringing them to the cave and everything that had happened.

Sasuke was still nervous about the unborn child as some of the other members of the Akatsuki had claimed the baby could be the most powerful asset to their ranks and offer a higher chance of rejuvenating their monstrosity that filled up half of the entire cave. It had a bunch of eyes that covered its face and only one or two were open. The Akatsuki had offered Sasuke and Naruto a place to stay and give birth to the child, only if they were willing to give them some of the power that was growing with the child that was increasing day-by-day.

Most of the members of Akatsuki had been out due to their 'missions' of finding the rest of the tailed beasts. They only ever searched in pairs but surprisingly became a tripe threat during the mission Sasuke and Naruto were on. "Naruto's asking for you now, douche bag." Hidan, a vulgar man who hated everyone he came in contact with…well just about everyone.

He was a cold man, colder than Sasuke or his brother, Itachi, and he as no where near changing his personality any time soon. His hair was white and slicked back like grease had been smeared across his hair and his eyes were purple in color. His face showed no signs of interest within the issue that was being held inside the cave. Sasuke did not like this man.

Now Naruto was having stomach pains and had been calling out for him every chance he could. Apparently someone thought it was funny to send Hidan to Sasuke to inform him of this. The other members knew Sasuke and Hidan didn't like each other from the moment that Naruto and Sasuke had come into the cave. But from odd reasons, Hidan did not mind having Naruto around.

Sasuke sighed again and got off from the rock he had been sitting on. Hidan merely gave Sasuke a smug look and led the way into a separate cave that the other members had carved out a few weeks ago. It was to be the birthing place for Naruto to have the child in. It was a small room that wasn't particularly shiny or lit up that it could be called a nursery but it was better than nothing.

Sasori had prepared an operation table for Naruto to lay on for when the baby was due and Kisame had offered to help with Naruto's chakra balance with his mighty sword, but Sasuke refused all their help but kept Sasori. The man had proven himself to be more helpful than the rest of the members. Walking into the smaller cave, Sasuke saw Naruto resting on the floor, his back up against the cave wall that had yet to be smoothed out and evened. His blonde, spiky hair had drooped in the last several days and his blue, cerulean colored eyes seemed to dwindle under the small amount of sunshine he had been getting. His stomach had grown a bump, causing his black t-shirt to rise just a few inches off from his stomach. Naruto's legs were being held up by his arms while his hands clenched together, holding each other.

Sasuke scratched the back of his head nervously and shyly looked away while Hidan walked in ahead of Sasuke and sat down beside Naruto. "Sasuke…our baby must be happy to see you…" Naruto's voice sounded forced and cracked under the strain on his body functions as it had never been done that a man gave birth.

Hidan narrowed his purple eyes at Sasuke and looked away from the both of them. As much as he hated Sasuke, he also hated the way he acted towards Naruto and his soon-to-be child. Hidan was not much of a family guy but his instincts were telling him that he should be more 'understanding' to others; which it seemed to be an ever challenging job to maintain.

"Naruto, don't try to speak yet. Hidan, can you please leave the room?" Hidan shot a glaring look at Sasuke, grinding his teeth together.

But instead of fighting with the younger boy, Hidan gave no objections to the order and left the two of them to be alone. The smaller cave did not have much of a 'homey' feeling to it but it was something rather than nothing and Sasuke had to give a word of "thanks" even though the Akatsuki wanted their child's power. Naruto blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes occasionally. Since he had become pregnant, it seemed that everything his body had, every function that he used seemed to be shared with the unborn child.

It was a wonder as to how the child could even see anything if it should not be fully developed yet. But then again…Naruto had the nine-tailed fox within his body. Still, Sasuke was confused. He lifted Naruto up off the floor, placing one arm behind the other boy's back for support while he held the boy's hands with his other. Since the Akatsuki were all but a bunch of men at the moment, so Sasuke could see, none of them really had any experience with motherhood or needs and what was required to prepare for it. However, Itachi seemed to have all the right answers towards the childbirth process.

"Sasuke…I miss Sakura and Kakashi sensei…" Sasuke looked to the ground as he helped Naruto to the bed in the middle of the room that was laid out for them for when the child would be born.

"I don't. They will only hinder us and you know what I told you about Tsunade. That woman would surely kill our child and…Sakura…she'll try anything to kill the baby too. We're on our own this time, Naruto." Sasuke said as he laid the boy down on the bed, kissing his hand passionately.

Naruto's eyes saddened both with fear and a mixture of anger and hatred to the fact that they couldn't trust their close friends, their team mates, or the Hokage herself. The blonde did not want to admit to such a cruel option that had been handed to them, but at this point, they had no choice but to stay away from their own village.

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><p>Back in the leaf village, all was well minus Sakura's intentions and Hinata's sudden stomach problems. Shino and Kurenai had both found out from lady Tsunade that Hinata's problems were only going to get worse. Since the ejection of the orange pill that Kiba had caught in his hand, Tsunade had been called in for an important issue that was going on with Hinata. After she had examined the girl, Tsunade was starting to feel bad for the girl.<p>

Looking at the face of Hinata's instructor, Kurenai, Tsunade pressed her lips together until it made a fine line on her face and told the woman the bitter information that the two of Hinata's team mates wanted to know. Her eyebrows pinched together as a sign of slight anger. "Hinata's problem has been found, though I'm not sure how it happened yet. It looks like her stomach has been attacked by something. I've never seen this before. She…doesn't have what it takes to produce a child. I'll see what I can dig up, but I'm not too sure what will be found. I will ask that you see to Hinata and…don't tell her about her current condition."

Kurenai and Shino both looked at each other while Tsunade walked away. Shino was the first to go into the room and stand over Hinata's bedside, examining the girl's condition. She was a little healthier in the cheeks and she seemed to be sleeping peacefully. But he wondered just how was it possible that any form of jutsu or attack could rearrange a woman's organs and entire body structure so much that the woman would not be able to give birth if she wanted to. Shino would have examined the girl with his bugs but they were not on the same level with medically repairing the body if need be. Kurenai came in a few moments later, looking at Hinata with a sadness that Shino could not explain. It was certainly more than the sadness of a loss of a friend in battle. She looked at Hinata as her own child.

"I hope Lady Tsunade comes up with a remedy for this. Hinata…doesn't deserve this…" Kurenai bit her bottom lip and clenched her hands into fists, her eyes shaking within their sockets with anger.

Shino had never seen Kurenai so angry before. For such a silent man, Shino had quite a bit to say but he never spoke a word while Kurenai was in the room for every word he knew would just get the woman frustrated at the situation. But there was something off with the company that was inside the room. They were missing an extra person. 'Kiba…' Shino thought as he looked outside the window and in the instant, saw Kiba walking with Akamaru at his side.

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><p>Slithering across a rocky surface and hissing at every rock it came across, a small Gardner snake made its way across the open and bare field just inches from a cliff that had acted a bit like a shield to a small cave that had been sealed off with a giant rock, submerged in a large river that passed through. The snake stopped and hissed wildly as a foot stepped on it, squishing the life out of the snake. It was a man's foot and he did not seem to want to lift his foot so soon.<p>

A man with long, black hair, which hung almost over his face and covered half of his golden colored eyes, stood next to another man with grayish-white hair and glasses on. The other man's skin was pale like white paste and his clothing was made into three layers. He wore black pants that went down to his ankles and a long, black sleeved shirt that was underneath a dark and gold shirt that had been tied at the middle with a giant purple rope, twisted at the back of him to resemble a bow.

His counterpart wore something similar but he did not have the giant purple rope tied around him like the other man did. Instead, he had beige gauze wrapped tightly around his stomach, slightly tilted on an angle. A weapon pouch was hanging off the side of his left leg and his hands wore black gloved with the finger tips cut off.

The man pushed his glasses slightly up the bridge of his nose, smiling. "I'm sure the Akatsuki wouldn't mind sharing." The man next to him sneered and vanished from the spot and reappeared on the flowing water. The man who spoke reappeared next to the other man on the waters.

"Just like old times, right Kabuto?" The man known as Kabuto replied with another smile while the man simply put a hand to the surface of rock and narrowed his eyes, pushing the large rock into the cave itself.

"Orochimaru-sama, you're amazing as usual." Kabuto and the other man simply walked in.

But their welcoming committees were not impressed. It was Hidan, Itachi and Deidara, who were all glaring at the two men with menacing looks. Orochimaru merely grinned at them. "Do step aside, won't you? I heard an unimaginable power is being stored here." Itachi made his move first and appeared right behind Orochimaru. "This is as far as you go, Orochimaru." Itachi's cool tone got Deidara excited and smiling.

"Oh my, you really care for this power that much? Or are your concerns mostly for the boy who wields it?" Orochimaru asked and quickly jumped over Hidan and Deidara, followed by Kabuto.

"Hey, that's not fair, un!" Deidara exclaimed as he dug into the sleeves of his trench coat and pulled a few white and balls of clay out onto his hands, molding them into small figurines.

Itachi and Hidan responded as well, Itachi disappeared again and reappeared at the entrance of the newly built-in cave that they had made for Naruto and Sasuke. The man held out his arm in front of the entrance and narrowed his onyx colored eyes at the two men. Sasuke heard the commotion and got around to the other side of the bed, blocking Naruto from Orochimaru's view. Orochimaru smiled evilly and stuck out his tongue, a long purple and slimy tongue that got Sasuke wondering how it was possible that a human being could have such a long tongue stored in their mouth.

"I guess we have no choice but to use force." Kabuto spoke out and pulled out a kunai knife quicker than Itachi could say "leave".

Hidan appeared behind Orochimaru and Kabuto while Deidara stood at the side. He knew that if he used his bombs and explosions, that he would bring their entire fortress down. He waited for Itachi and Hidan to make their move first. Itachi closed his eyes and opened them a few seconds later with the sharingan activated. Orochimaru winced as his golden eyes met with Itachi's and Kabuto reacted to the threat by swiping at Itachi. But this was not the real Itachi, but a bunch of crows!

'Damn it!' Kabuto cursed in his mind as he brushed off the crows to keep them from landing on him. He had been the one to be caught in Itachi's Genjutsu.

Hidan smiled and sat down next to Itachi. If Itachi had them in his Genjutsu, then there was no need for him or Deidara to get involved. Sasuke did not see the other two men make any hand signals or even move an inch for that matter. He relaxed for just a bit but he didn't let down his guard completely. He held onto Naruto's hand, feeling the boy squeezing the daylights out of his fingers. It was only a few weeks ago that Naruto found out about his odd pregnant issue and he was already acting like he was in labor.

"Naruto, you're squeezing me a little too tight, don't you think?" Sasuke winced at the sudden pain again and tried to reassure Naruto with his other hand.

"Sasuke, he's scared!" Sasuke looked back out at the entrance and saw that Itachi still had the two men locked in his Genjutsu.

Deidara stepped around Itachi and went inside the small cave, looking past Sasuke and directing his attention to the boy on the bed. He smiled and held out his hand. Sasuke looked at Deidara's hand and realized it was a small doll in the form of a fox. "What's that?" Deidara ignored Sasuke's question and set the fox on Naruto's stomach, still smiling.

"The baby shouldn't be scared now, un?" Sasuke felt Naruto's hand ease up from squeezing and he looked over at Naruto.

"Like I said, just what exactly is that thing?" Sasuke asked, pointing at the small clay doll that lay on Naruto's stomach.

Deidara stopped smiling when he looked down at Sasuke. "You're dense, Sasuke-kun. Isn't it obvious? It's my gift to the child!" Deidara's face lit up with excitement.

Sasuke was not so sure he wanted a gift from Deidara as he knew what the man was capable of. He watched Naruto's face for a reaction but the boy's face was in pure bliss, almost peaceful.

"Deidara, get rid of these two jack asses!" Hidan called to the blonde man. Itachi had apparently finished his Genjutsu on Kabuto and Orochimaru and now it was Deidara's turn.

Itachi released his Genjutsu and allowed Deidara to make the clay bird. The bird started out small and grew into a large bird, wrapping its wings around the two men and began floating in the air, taking the men out with it, out into the open and out of the cave. Sasuke smiled lightly as Naruto let go of his hand and grabbed onto the small figurine that lay on his stomach.

"Sasuke…what should we name him?" Naruto's face got a bit of color in it and his eyes were sparkling.

"I…I don't know…how about, Kitsuki?" Kits, a name that was derived from the names, "Suki" and "Kitsune", both put together, Naruto smiled widely as he said the name in his head. "Beloved…fox?" Sasuke smiled and rested a hand on Naruto's stomach.

"Yeah…beloved fox." Sasuke and Naruto both chuckled in unison as Itachi and Deidara came into the room.

"It's time, Sasuke. Our leader will not wait for much longer." Sasuke shielded Naruto with his arms and glared at his older brother, Itachi.

"It is not time yet! We still have eight months to…" Sasuke got cut off by Hidan. "As if, twerp! That kid's powers are growing by the second; our leader would like a taste of it before it's gone!" Sasuke looked up to Itachi for an answer as to what the man was talking about.

"Enough Hidan; Sasuke, your child grows too fast for an ordinary human being. This power is different from the other tailed beasts that we have seen. Ready yourselves for the birthing, Sasuke, Naruto." Itachi vanished into the air as did the other two, leaving Sasuke and Naruto more worried than they had been before.

As if Itachi had seen the future, Naruto shouted out in pain, holding his stomach as if it were about to burst. "SASUKE!" Tears formed in the blonde's eyes and all Sasuke could do was hold onto Naruto and comfort him. The time really was coming up for Naruto to give birth. But this was just too soon!

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><p>Kiba and Akamaru had found Sakura planting a bunch of seeds in someone's backyard garden. Akamaru growled bitterly at the girl but Kiba quieted him down so that they could catch her by surprise. Sakura stopped putting the seeds in the hole and whipped her head around, looking over her shoulder with an innocent look on her face. Kiba and Akamaru stopped in their tracks.<p>

"Kiba?" Sakura got to her feet after being in a crouched position. Kiba did not let the fake smile fool him and both he and Akamaru bared their teeth at her.

"Cut the 'innocent me' crap, we know what you did to Hinata!" Sakura's smile faded and she looked away, her pink hair hid her eyes.

"I heard about Hinata. I'm sorry, Kiba. Did she mean that much to you?" This time, Akamaru was not just growling at Sakura, he looked like he was ready to kill the girl.

Sakura's smile returned to her face and with just one push from Sakura's hand, Kiba could feel himself fly backward across the street, the fence to the neighbor's house, destroyed! Akamaru responded to Sakura's attack by chomping on the girl's skirt. But Sakura did not seem to have the power to stop herself from punching Kiba's dog.

Kiba scratched the back of his head, coughing and sitting up while Akamaru landed right next to him. Kiba glared at Sakura with a menacing look and got up, his fists, shaking. "I don't care what Hinata says, you're not hurting inside _or _outside! You're nothing but a jealous monster!" Kiba scowled at Sakura and then looked down at the fallen white dog that laid still, whimpering from the punch that he took from Sakura's hand.

Sakura smiled as she walked toward Kiba and Akamaru, her gloved hands looked ready to punch just about anybody. "You should save that for Naruto. He took Sasuke away from me...and now...he took my baby. I can't forgive him for that. So, Kiba. I'll tell you to blame this all on...Naruto!"

Before Kiba could react, Sakura's body let out an evil purple aura that got him trembling. It was not like anything he had ever seen before, just like the orange pill he had with him, both the pill and the aura had given him a bad feeling about certain outcomes. In this outcome, Kiba wasn't so sure he wanted to end up like Hinata, so in a hurry, the boy grabbed Akamaru at the stomach and fled from Sakura. And as soon as the aura had appeared, it vanished and Sakura looked around innocently, acting as though she did not know what happened.

Jiraiya and Sai's moments were not very long during conversations and the older man was beginning to wonder why Tsunade had chosen this young man to look for them in the first place. The old man let out a sigh when he heard a familiar bark coming from a dog. It was Pakkun, one of Kakashi's many dogs. Jiraiya and Sai both stopped and saw that Kakashi had caught up to them. Jiraiya smiled, stars shining in his eyes and his cheeks blushing a bright pink.

"Kakashi! My, I never thought I'd say this, but what a sight for sore eyes! Come over here!" Sai watched as the two men huddled together, whispering.

_"You gotta do something, Kakashi! This kid is driving me nuts! He hardly says anything but the silence is killing me!" _Jiraiya whispered to Kakashi and kept looking back at Sai, glaring at the boy.

"Is that so? You spent all this time trying to make conversation with him? You could have been making your new book... how disappointing." Kakashi pulled out a small blue book and began walking in the direction that Sai and Jiraiya had been walking.

"Don't let him get to you. Just stick out your hand and he'll give ya a treat!" Jiraiya looked down at Pakkun and wondered just how was it that Kakashi could keep such a weird dog. The dog vanished within a bunch of smoke.

"Stick out my hand? Does that mean...marriage?" Jiraiya was completely confused by the dog's words and spent the rest of the day pondering on this thought.

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><p><strong>An: Wow, this was longer than expected…hope you guys liked it! I'll be working on some drawings for Naruto and his soon-to-be family!**


	9. Child of hope

**Does anyone know any shippuuden episodes that are in .AVI format and the ones with Sasuke mostly and if you know which season has Naruto having a hyperventilation attack then please let me know.**

**Warning: Might contain violence, swearing and sweet words from Sasuke!**

**Disclaimer: I only wish to own such a great anime. But I don't…**

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><p>Shino Aburame was tired of having Kiba and Hinata getting into trouble and he did not want to see either of them getting hurt again. He didn't know what Kiba might have found out about Hinata's condition or if he knew who had done it in the first place. All he knew was that their team leader would really need to know. If it was a secret that Kiba and Hinata had made to each other, Shino was certainly not going to sit by and allow them to keep a secret for long.<p>

"I think Kiba might know something about this, sensei." Kurenai looked at Shino in surprise. She knew the boy was as smart as Sasuke and Neji and if he could try a lot smarter than Shikamaru Nara.

"That reminds me, where is Kiba?" Kurenai asked, looking around for the boy and realizing that the boy was right. Kiba was gone.

"I saw him leave the hospital; he must still be in the village." Shino replied and led the way out of the room, Kurenai right behind him.

They were both eager to see where Kiba had run off to and hear what the boy knew about Hinata's problem. But as soon as they got past the hospital doors, the two of them ran into Kiba. The boy looked to be in a hurry with all the huffing and puffing he was doing, holding Akamaru with one arm at the side.

"Kiba, what…" Kurenai began and saw that Kiba's face was serious and angry. Shino could see that Akamaru was hurt pretty badly. But by who, they would soon to find out.

"Sakura…I mean…I found this strange pill in Hinata's mouth, she coughed it up!" Kiba didn't understand why he had just protected the girl even when she had just hurt the most lovable friend he had. Kiba showed the strange pill to Kurenai and Shino.

The two of them examined the pill for a moment and then looked at each other. "Sorry you two, but I have a sick dog coming through!" Kiba rushed past them and into the hospital, making a clean escape from saying anything about Sakura.

'Aw man, what the hell did I protect that bitch for?' Kiba thought as he ran through the halls and went back to Hinata's room. He knew that if he had brought Akamaru to Tsunade's attention, which she would want to know what was going on.

Back outside the hospital, Shino and Kurenai were left with the pill, both looking at it. Shino held out his hands and allowed the bugs flow from inside his jacket, out of his body and onto the palms of his hands. The bugs gathered around the orange pill, inspected the pill as much as they could and then retreated in a hurry. Shino let his arms fall and gazed at the pill thoughtfully. There was something odd about the pill. None of his bugs could really get what was so bad about it, only that it was a terrible object to be feared.

"Shino?" Kurenai's once worried look grew to a serious one and Shino had no choice but to explain that he too did not have an answer for this.

"My bugs can't seem to find what is wrong with the pill. They just don't like it." Kurenai and Shino both looked at the pill together and then at the Hokage's tower where Tsuande had been staying since the Third died.

Perhaps, a woman with amazing skills as a medical ninja could tell them just what this pill was exactly.

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><p>Wailing sounds could be heard from inside of the cave and only Deidara was the one who had not been taking the loud bellowing so lightly. He sheltered both his ears with his hands as another shout from Naruto got him cringing. I did not mind the sounds of misery and pain but at this point, it was getting too much for him to bear. Itachi and Kisame had tried to coax him into coming back into the cave, but no one had been able to move the young man from his current spot outside the cave. Pein, the said leader of the bunch of the Akatsuki members, seemed to have misjudged Naruto's powers as the boy looked to be turning into the Kyuubi itself.<p>

"Sasori, shall we start now?" Kakuzu, who was a man of many mysteries, much like Itachi and also a man, who had been the only one to really stick around with being a partner to Hidan. He was like a sewn up doll with stitches going across his mouth and along his arms like rubber bands going around. He and Sasori had both decided that they would be the ones to help with the operation, and to deliver the child.

Sasuke Uchiha, the boy who had put Naruto through all this, was now feeling he shouldn't have allowed Sasori and Kakuzu to do the operation. He much preferred the old woman of their village. But that would just be another word he went back on. Now he sat outside the small cave, doing the same thing that Deidara had been doing and shutting his ears out from all the noise. The noise itself was a loud screech being sung along with a bunch of screaming. Just to hear Naruto's voice go so high for such pain, Sasuke couldn't bear to listen to it.

"Ah, Kakuzu-san, he's growing ears." Sasori, the redheaded boy who had been partnered with Deidara for quite some time, was now dealing with something that really could not wait.

As to Sasori's claim of "ears", Naruto had been going into a Kyuubi mode for about an hour now. It was a common trait that the boy had been going through since they first arrived and somehow, the baby's powers were both developing within both Naruto and the child as well. It was proving to be rather difficult to taking the child out of Naruto's stomach while at the same time, extracting its glorious powers that it was presenting to them.

Kakuzu did not seem to mind it at all. In fact, he seemed rather used to this sort of thing. Sasori readied the scalpels that he had prepared, small sharp knives that he used mostly for the puppets that he made by hand. Kisame was a man who looked more fish than as a man and carried a heavy sword with him on his back every where he went. But today, he would be using this heavy sword, to extract the chakra from Naruto and the baby. Sasuke was also worried about this too. He began to think along the lines of, 'what if the baby dies?' or, 'will Naruto die?', it was a hard time for the both of them, both Sasuke and Naruto.

Itachi, Pein, Deidara and Hidan, had all participated into subtracting the chakra from both Naruto and the child, all committing that they would try not to extract too much from the two that they'd die during the process. Sasuke got Itachi's word on this which was surprising to hear coming from the murder of his entire clan. But Sasuke had put this behind him and stuck with thinking about his new family.

"Sasuke…Sasuke!" The said boy got up from his crouched position, looking into the small cave that Naruto, Sasori and Kisame were in. A slight blush grew across his face as he noticed that all three of the Akatsuki in the small room could see Naruto's lower half. He hated knowing this, that his lover was forced to be exposed like this in front of other men.

But the moment of his jealousy soon faded as soon as he saw the baby's head and then its body. Small and bloodied, the baby was born rather normal, or so that Sasuke could see. But Sasori and Kisame both looked at each other and then back at the baby that Kakuzu held in his hands. From Kakuzu's, Sasori's and Kisame's eyes, the baby was not completely normal. The baby that Sasuke and Naruto had named "Kistuki", had hair already, blonde hair but red eyes, half of the Uchiha bloodline and half of the nine-tailed fox's eyes.

Kitsuki's eyes resulted in a black slit in the middle of his eyes and round circles surrounding them. Kisame burst out laughing, causing Pein to stop the extraction for the moment. "Itachi-san, say hello to your new nephew! He's got your blood line!" Kisame smiled at the baby and stopped using his giant sword on him, letting his sword lower itself to the floor.

"Idiot, pay attention." Sasori earned himself a scowling look from the fish-like man.

"This power's too much for my sword to swallow; I don't think he can absorb it anymore." Kisame looked down at his sword while Kakuzu gently let the baby fall into Sasori's hands while he stitched Naruto's stomach up.

"You're attached to the kid?" Sasori asked him as he looked down at the baby and noticed there were tiny fangs in the baby's mouth.

"Well duh, it's a baby we help give birth to!" Kisame put the sword on his back and left the small cave.

Sasori and Kakuzu looked at each other with questionable looks before handing the child over to Naruto's awaiting arms. Sasuke smiled at the two of them but at the corners of his mouth so the two Akatsuki members couldn't see how proud he was. However, Kitsuki was not crying like a normal baby nor was he laughing at anything that Sasori was doing with his small puppet. At this point, the rest of the members forgot about extracting the powers and all gathered around Naruto and the child. Now you would think that being surrounded like this by some of the highly professional ninja would be able to stop what was to come. And as Naruto looked into his son's eyes, ruby red eyes with black slits like the demon fox he usually saw when things got rough and the familiar sharingan placed as small dots going around the black slits of his eyes.

The boy's hair was already developing at a fast rate, Raven, black hair like Sasuke's, and the spikiness like Naruto's blonde hair. But this small little company was not going to be enjoyed for very long. They had a problem, a _very _big one.

Orochimaru had shown up at the entrance and he brought along five others as well as Kabuto. Itachi, Hidan, Deidara and Kisame were the only ones to fight the five of the newcomers off while Zetsu, a half-plant and half-human man who could dissolve into the earth, fought with Orochimaru and Kabuto alongside with Pein and a new member of their ranks, Tobi.

"It's a shadow clone, Sasuke!" Itachi shouted and fended off the fake woman who had traded places with a giant person. She was after the baby.

The woman's hair was pink almost a light red and she wore a hat on her head. But Sasuke was not looking at her hat, he was staring into the woman's eyes; cold eyes that could cut through a person's skull if they were a weapon. Sasuke reacted, his kunai knife out and ready for action and he even activated his sharingan. He watched the woman's movements, hoping this wouldn't be a fake like the one Itachi had been fighting. He never thought he would see another day that he fought alongside his brother again. But this was different. They were both protecting one child and that was all. There couldn't be anything more they were fighting for, was there?

And then, the crying from the child began. Naruto held Kitsuki closer while the new battle enraged outside the small cave. Sasuke saw that the woman was obsessed with his son and saw his chance to catch her off guard. She was just about to grab the child when Sasuke's knife crashed down on her hands and long her arms, slicing her flesh wide open. She scowled at the boy but she did not let that stop her and on a rebound, she stole the baby from Naruto's arms. The baby cried louder and louder and Sasuke and Naruto were both desperate to get Kitsuki back and at any cost.

As the girl began to make a getaway for herself, Sasuke was about to go after her when he heard a low growling sound coming from behind. Naruto was feeling too many emotions to keep calm and allow Sasuke to handle it. The kyuubi's powers were growing as the seal should have been weakened by now. But the seal had not faded and thus, explained why Naruto was still able to talk to Sasuke despite his current condition of being split open and then stitched back up so few minutes ago.

Sasuke grit his teeth and chased after his baby while Itachi and the other members of Akatsuki held off the rest of the intruders. Naruto chased after Sasuke, following his stead as he could no longer see what was ahead of him anymore. His eyes had turned red in color and looked just like Kitsuki's eyes but without the black dots that surrounded them.

"Sasori, Deidara, Itachi! Go after Naruto and Sasuke!" It was a direct order from their leader, Pein. The three said men stopped their battles with the others and followed after the two of them, leaping constantly with a high speed.

Itachi was up ahead, his black, long hair, flowing behind him with each step in his run that he took. Deidara had decided to use one of his many models of clay to fly overhead to see where they were headed. Sasori made good use of his puppets and used one of them to travel under the ground while he stayed above the ground, controlling the strings.

None of the members of Akatsuki could explain what they had been feeling, what they lacked and what they could gain by doing this. This moment, the baby was all that was on their minds and it wasn't about the powers that the child wielded. It was hope.

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><p><strong>An: Sort of made it more about the baby and Akatsuki but oh well. Also, stay tuned, cause I have this adorable pic of their child at the age of 5! Drew it in class! Stay tuned!**


	10. Sakura's timing and Sasuke's bad luck

**I feel like collapsing. I'm too tired for everything at once…=-=**

**Warning: Violence and some cursing!(Not very much!)  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**

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><p>Tsunade frowned as she looked out the window of her village. She did not think of herself as 'too old' to reminisce about the past and how life was much more simpler back then, but looking over the village now, she had begun to wish that life nowadays would be the same as the past. But as the future held much greater promise, Tsunade did not doubt the work that Kakashi and Jiraiya could do when together. The old woman smiled lightly and leaned back in her chair with ease. If they were together in a fight, she wondered if either of them would think back to the time of their leader and student days, back to when they were either leading a team or being part of a team. Would they come together as a student and teacher for a battle?<p>

Shizune had been quiet for most of the time that she saw Tsunade go into deep thought. She knew the woman liked her moments as it was certainly one way of easing her mind and not just by gambling all day either. It was a nice change for once and Shizune could feel Tsunade's emotions as though it were water being vaporized by the sun. She looked out over the village, through the large glass window and over the many houses that were cluttered together like one big castle. Seeing the situation now, Shizune had never thought of such a village becoming a giant family in just a short amount of years. Shizune allowed a smile to escape her lips and watched as a group of white birds flew past the buildings.

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><p>Kurenai slammed her hands on the table of the Nara household. She and Shino had decided to take the orange pill over to the Nara clan in case they were able to figure something out about it. They were planning on seeing Lady Tsunade first but then when Shikamaru and his father had passed them by during their trip to the Hokage's tower, they thought it best to check the pill with them beforehand.<p>

Shino looked at his teacher; he had never thought the woman would be so emotional over a single pill. It was one thing to consider the lives of all the villagers but another to focus on only one person. Shino knew the teacher was not herself and also knew the woman's thoughts concerning Hinata. The two of them had been told that Hinata may or may not be able to have children later on in life. But Tsunade was not certain at that time for she had not known about the pill.

"Sensei…I feel we should keep a watch on Kiba for now. He knew about this pill and he might know more if we talk to him." Kurenai stood unmoved and stared at the pill that was sitting in front of her. The Nara family had not been able to give the two the information they needed for this was a new kind of pill that they have never seen before. It was a growing trend.

"Might as well. Kiba would know more than Lady Tsunade about it. After that…we take the pill to the Hokage." Shino nodded his consent to the agreement and followed his leader out of the Nara family household and into the now busy streets of Konoha.

They had found Kiba and Akamaru with Hinata, only Akamaru was being treated while Kiba sat idly by, watching the young nurse bandage the dog around the waist with care. Shino and Kurenai walked in calmly but they were concerned for what Kiba knew about the pill and asked the nurse to leave them for a few minutes. The nurse smiled politely and left the room upon orders, leaving just the five of them in the room. Akamaru made a few whimpering noises, gesturing for his master's idea on the situation. But Kiba shook his head and gripped the seat he was sitting on, looking down at the floor.

"Ask me then, Shino. Had I known who did this and who gave Hinata the pill?" Kurenai became worried and looked at the pill that was clutched in her hand.

"Do you, Kiba?" Shino asked. Kiba flinched at the sound of his name. Looking at Kiba now, Shino was thinking among the lines of 'child' and as a child being scolded, Kiba was hanging his head in shame.

"I know who hurt Akamaru, because I was there. Sakura gave that pill to Hinata and punched Akamaru. That girl…she's changed somehow." Shino realized that Kiba must have been thinking back to the incident with Akamaru and Sakura. This was most definitely interesting. As of knowing team 7 for such a long time and mostly because Naruto and Kiba had been so much alike, Shino had also noticed that team 7 had most of the bad luck within the village.

Team 7 had been formed appropriately like any squad would be formed but their team was certainly lacking something and it was their team work. Sakura's sudden change of heart for her comrades was not to be taken likely. Shino knew that with the death of her team mates, that it would only be a matter of time before the girl went out of her mind eventually. It was not uncommon but it was strange to see such a calm girl like Sakura become distracted with emotions over the death of fellow shinobi. Surely she knew the price a ninja paid when not concentrating in a battle.

"Whatever's going on with Sakura must somehow be connected with Kakashi sensei's sudden disappearance. Have you two noticed that he hasn't been around in the village at all?" Kurenai was in shock at this fact but Kiba did not look as surprised as his teacher.

"Maybe he's preparing for the funeral, Shino. You know it's only a few more days away…" Kurenai felt like she was trying to reassure herself and not just her students.

Kiba sighed and got up from the chair. He knew deep down ever since Sasuke and Naruto had told him that a secret could not remain secret forever. And he had waited for this type of day to come when the cat was out of the bag. He knew Sakura's intentions yet he allowed Hinata to come into contact with the dangers and on top of it, he hid this from his own teacher and even his other team mate, Shino.

"Kurenai sensei…I believe Sakura's behind Sasuke and Naruto's deaths." This was a bold accusation that looked like it could be true.

Although how the girl could have gotten away with actually murdering her two best friends was something hard to accept.

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><p>Catching up to a woman who seemed to be getting further and further away from them, Sasuke began to feel a little unsure about his speed. He knew he could not afford to second guess his actions nor did he have the ability to look back to see if Naruto was still running behind him, because if he had, the woman in front would be able to have the option of switching places with a log. In this battle of endurance and speed, timing was everything.<p>

"KITSUKI!" Sasuke sweat dropped as he raced among the branches of the trees, bouncing off the branches as quick as a rabbit on land. As much as he appreciated his lover, Naruto, for being so concerned for their newborn son, Sasuke had to wonder why the boy insisted on yelling out a person's name whenever something bad was happening to them. Another thing that Sasuke would have wanted was a quiet approach.

The chase was prolonging longer than expected, and Sasuke was growing tired of his weak ways. He was only a teenager and he was already feeling his years pass him by like he had been aging forever. It was not a good feeling and he wanted his son back as soon as possible. Sasuke quickened his pace while making a few hand signals. He was going to use his fire jutsus to get the woman to stop. Or if he could, pause the woman's current mission and hopefully think of a tactic.

Flying above them, Deidara and the giant clay bird he rode on had swooped down at the woman and the child. Sasuke grit his teeth and threw up a paper bomb in front of the bird. This stopped Deidara from continuing for only a few seconds before he was back flying the bird again. As Sasuke kept his eyes on the woman in front, Sasuke noticed that she seemed to be jumping at odd places, leaping and jerking to the side when she wasn't leaping off a tree branch. Was there something invisible snapping at her feet? As Sasuke used his sharingan to look into it, he saw the movements of a spiked needle appearing from the ground. It was attached to something that was coming from behind. He smiled and saw his chance to use a giant fireball while he created a clone to appear in front of the woman.

Sasuke was planning to attack from behind while his clone would grab the baby from the woman's hands. But the plan did not go too well as he hoped it would. Orochimaru was up ahead and he looked like he was waiting for the woman and the baby. Sasuke could feel Naruto's red chakra right behind him, so close they could be side-by-side almost. "DEIDARA!" Sasuke and Naruto heard Itachi's voice call from behind them.

The blonde man gave a hand signal to Itachi, putting two of his fingers to his forehead and saluting Itachi letting the man know he heard the order. A smile came to the blonde's lips and he pulled a few clay dolls out of his sleeves. The palms of his hands chomped onto the clay and pulled the clay all the way inside, chewing it up and molding it at the same time. Deidara aimed his arm to Orochimaru who was still standing in a clearing just a couple trees away. He seemed confident. Deidara tossed the bomb down at Orochimaru while the woman stopped leaping through the trees, noticing the change of the atmosphere.

Sasuke and Naruto ganged up on her but Naruto's desperate acts only made the struggle for the baby harder as the Kyuubi's chakra was making it impossible for Sasuke to hold the woman down. But the bombs that were dropped down earlier and aimed for Orochimaru had not ceased the man's attacks or stopped his crazy obsession. The woman did the unthinkable and smiled as she tossed the baby into the air, causing Kitsuki to fall in the direction of a long and purple tongue. Sasuke and Naruto let go of the woman and Naruto's emotions got the better of him as he allowed the red chakra to swallow his half naked body, the chakra, swirling from behind and acting as a tail-the woman had no time to react to the boy's chakra and was taken by surprise as she was whipped by one of the tails of red chakra, knocking over at least a hundred trees before landing with a deadly impact to the ground.

The three marks on Naruto's cheeks had grown wider just a few inches and his fangs had grown a few inches longer than they usually were. Sasuke watched Naruto's transformation while Orochimaru's tongue reached the body of its container. An evil man was getting away with their newborn son while Naruto was still transforming into a chakra-based fox. Itachi and Sasori had finally caught up with the two of them and this time, they looked even scarier then when they had first began a fight with them, a few weeks back.

"Stay with Naruto until he is done his transformation. Sasori and I will catch up with Orochimaru. Deidara will stay with you as well. Good luck…little brother." And with that, Itachi and Sasori ran past Sasuke and Naruto, their black and red trench coats floating behind them.

Naruto scowled as his fingernails became long claw and his headband that had been wrapped around his head had become untied and had fallen to the ground. Sasuke was taken aback as to what to do now. The only thing he could do was hope for the best of Naruto's transformation when it was complete.

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><p>Sakura was silent as she ran through the village, never caring whether she hit someone on her way to the gates of the village. Her mind was racing with anxiety and her heart had not stopped pounding since the day she met <em>him. <em>Sakura stopped shortly to catch her breath for only a split second and was off again, rushing to the gate like it would be closed for eternity if she didn't make it in time. She quickly looked around, still running towards the closed gate and she saw that no one was standing guard like they usually were and Sakura smiled in her mind as she placed both her hands in between the slit of the gate, pulling the two large doors open with as much strength as she could muster.

'Goodbye…Tsunade-sama…' Sakura managed to open the gate doors with quite a bit of effort and escaped through the small opening she had created. Sakura ran a few spaces ahead before stopping to look back at the village. Her eyebrows pinched together in anger and then she was off like a lightning bolt.

The girl was not as stupid as or slow minded as others probably thought of her. Sakura knew her teacher was sent on a mission and this was why she was leaving the village. Sakura felt she had wasted enough time playing with Hinata and Kiba and she felt that she was needed elsewhere. By now…the plan was going smoothly like she was told it would. A pain cut through her shoulder and she stopped momentarily but she shook the feeling off and healed her shoulder while she ran. The mark she was given a few weeks before the mission, before the day that Sasuke and Naruto had escaped her grasp, had now been acting up even though she had gotten past its effects. The mark itself had three circles that trailed off into a point and went about in a circle. The mark was a deep purple and looked as though it was seeping through the sleeve of her shirt.

'Damn it! This mark is killing me!' Sakura thought as she raced past the trees and didn't bother to stop to fight off any of the forest animals that crossed her path.

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><p><strong>An: Man, this took me three days to complete. Had to plan this one out carefully cause this is the leader of the climax! 5 more chapters left, but they will be long as this one so don't worry!**


	11. A calming mother

**Poll news on this fic: There will only be one more poll on this fic but it will be at the very end, second last chapter, chapter 14 so be sure to keep an eye out for it! Also, reminding everyone again that I am currently working on a manga for this. So have fun reading this next chapter! Been watching so much Danny Phantom! **

**Warning: Contains violence and pure love between two boys!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**

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><p>Akamaru sniffed the air. He had not been fully awakened but he was getting there. The punch he took did not seem life threatening but it hurt a lot and despite his large body being laid on a comfortable bed, he couldn't feel it helping at all. He sniffed the air again. His senses, mostly his nose, had been getting weaker since he had gotten the wound and it was still in no condition to be used. But this did not stop his fabulous nose from working. Akamaru raised his head gently and sniffed again. He knew this scent as well as he knew his body. It was Kiba's and Akamaru could sense something wrong with his master. The boy was not feeling well; his emotions were stirred up by something. Worried for his master, Akamaru tried to get up on both his back legs and then his front ones.<p>

"Akamaru, don't move!" The dog stopped moving and sniffed the air, breathing in the scent of his master. Kiba was worried about him.

The large white dog lay back down on the bed and gave a low barking sound. He sensed that something was wrong and it had to do with the being that had wounded him and his master just a few hours earlier. It was _that _girl's scent and it smelled like she was getting farther away from the village. "Akamaru? What is it?" The dog felt the kind hand of his master, smooth the top of his head, brushing back his ruffled fur.

Akamaru whimpered and pointed his head to the direction of the window. He could sense not only his master there but his master's friends and the ones he and his master usually hung around with. He barked while still in the direction of the window. He couldn't see as much as he would like to, as his wounded side had been affecting his eyesight. Akamaru sensed his master moving farther from him and could hear the sounds of foot steps going toward the window.

"I think something's going on. Akamaru senses something and I doubt it's something good." Kiba said, staring out the window and getting a bad vibe about the village's gates. Something within his gut was telling him that something was amiss.

"In any case, Kiba, you should have told us about the pill earlier. Your bad judgment of trust has allowed your team mate to take a beating. We need to see Lady Tsunade at once." Kurenai's voice was strict but fairly soft as to not hurt Kiba's choices of doing things. The woman knew deep down that the boy only wanted to keep everyone safe.

Kiba smiled at his sensei and he and Shino followed Kurenai out of the hospital room while Akamaru lay his head down again. This was a mission that the poor dog was forced to keep away from for the time being.

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><p>A crease appeared in the middle of Kakashi's covered forehead as he closed his green book with a small hint of force with his fingers. He had been listening to the odd conversation that Jiraiya was having with Sai, or was trying to, and Kakashi had to admit, it was getting pretty awkward with every word the elder man was saying. Jiraiya had been going on about 'girls' and 'love' and this strange conversation was not as comical as he thought it would be, not like…team 7. Kakashi stopped walking and put the green book into his back pocket. He missed team 7 and all their days as well as the times that Sasuke and Naruto had not got along so well. Now after hearing about their relation ship, Kakashi wasn't so sure how he should approach them if he saw them up front and personal. It had been only a month or so since he last saw the two of them and ever since then, he thought of them as nothing but dead boys on his team. Now he had the chance to see them and he didn't even feel ready to face them!<p>

"Hey, Kakashi, we're almost there. Sai thinks we should stop for a while…looks like you agree too." Jiraiya smiled at the younger jounin and stopped while Sai began to dig through his backpack, taking things like brushes and scrolls out as he searched through out his bag.

Kakashi decided to sit out on the planning that the young boy and Jiraiya were going to do. His mind was not mentally ready for this nor did he think it would ever be ready to plan the reunion with his students. In the mean time, Kakashi summoned for Pakkun and the other dogs. They would be the most reliable to seek out the entrance of Akatsuki and hopefully they could find it before the day was over.

"Ah, I never get tired of seeing your face, Kakashi. What's up? Not getting along with your new team mates?" Kakashi smiled under his mask. Pakkun could always see what was in a person's heart, almost like reading a human's mind. It was odd to be honest, that such a dog was capable of reading his mind at different times.

"Something like that. Actually, I need you and the others to scope out the Akatsuki entrance. It should be nearby up ahead. Tsunade believes it is elsewhere but from what I've told her before, the place should be there." Pakkun didn't say anything and left at the same time as the other dogs, all vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Sai opened his fresh scrolls and picked up a paint brush that he pulled out of his bag and dipped the brush into the black liquid of ink in a bottle. His face was composed of nothing but calm features and he seemed to know what he was doing. Kakashi wondered just how long it had been since _he _looked like that-before his friend, Obito dying and before his hearing of Naruto and Sasuke's sudden deaths. He used to have a look like Sai's, both uncaring and full of spirit to get the job done no matter what. But during his years with his students and the time spent with his teacher, Kakashi was wondering how he became so open like Naruto's goofy ways and the way Jiraiya had acted.

'Sensei, what do I do now? Naruto and Sasuke are alive but…how should I greet them?' Kakashi didn't much like talking to himself when with others but when one had a lot of things on their mind, it was easier to ask yourself questions or talk in your mind.

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><p>Tears had long since dried on his peeling skin and Naruto was not feeling like his usual self. His mind was beginning to go blank and his red chakra, no, the fox's red chakra was now feeling like a boiling pot of hot water that he had been splashing around in. The heat surrounding his body had become too hot for him to occupy his mind with anything else. His eyesight was diminishing and growing weaker by the second and with all his anger and hatred for the man known as 'Orochimaru' Naruto was not feeling the capability of staying conscious for very long. He could feel the nine-tailed fox becoming stronger than the last few days and something deep down was warning him not to allow the fox to completely take over his body. But Naruto couldn't help it, his newborn baby, Kitsuki, had been taken from him and just the very thought of his son not being near him was enough to send his body into an overdrive and his mind into a bottle of hate, anger and anguish.<p>

His boyfriend, Sasuke Uchiha, was right in front of him, supporting his suffering confrontation with the fox's chakra hoping he could help him with the pain and agony. Sasuke held him around the waist, tightening his grip on the boy so that Naruto would not thrash about like he usually did during different missions they had in the past. He was too emotional for his own good and from the missions, he always had new wounds to add to the old ones, all from the red chakra that had seeped through his skin, causing a red and black form to appear.

"Naruto!" The blonde boy could hear his lover calling to him but he could say anything back. His words were drowned out by the thoughts of the nine-tails. The fox was upset that he would not allow the transformation to go any further and in his anger, the fox tried to force the transformation to occur.

"Sasuke…help…me!" And with this said, Naruto could feel his mind go black and could feel his skin go on fire like he was emerged into an ocean of fire, burning to the core of his soul.

A giant gush of red chakra shot from Naruto's scrunched up body and nearly hit Deidara and the flying clay bird that hovered above them. Sasuke was nearly knocked over by the sudden shock wave that struck out at him like a claw; a claw that was in the shape of a clawed paw of a fox, a misshaped one. But Sasuke stood by and held on as much as he could while Naruto sat crouched on the ground, growling as his peach colored skin became red, and his skin peeled off like paper.

Sasuke watched as Naruto's entire body became red and black in color, a thick fur-like coat covering his body. His eyes were pure white while his mouth vanished and replacing his mouth was a wide smile with pointy teeth. Looking the boy over, Sasuke could tell this was not his lover anymore. It was not Naruto and it definitely wasn't a mother. Realizing that this was an entirely knew Naruto, Sasuke worried for the safety of their child and for his brother's. If things got too much for even him to handle, then their child and the snake-like man Orochimaru would be goners if he didn't act fast. Sasuke paced himself and thought out his ideas. There was only one solution to this current problem.

"Naruto, our baby is fine! Orochimaru got killed, Itachi got him!" It was a plainly obvious plan that was made up in such a short amount of time, but it seemed to do the job. Naruto's red overflowing chakra decreased and his body became lifeless in Sasuke's arms. He was fast asleep but he looked to be in bad shape.

"Sasuke-kun, is Naruto-chan awake?" Deidara asked as he floated the bird toward the ground, landing softly beside them.

Sasuke looked down at the sleeping Naruto examining the red exposed fleshy skin of his lover. He was fine but he wasn't so sure about Naruto. He let out a sigh of relief and laid the boy down on the ground and finally looked up at Deidara. "I hate saying things like this to an Akatsuki member but…look after Naruto for me!" In the blink of an eye, Sasuke vanished out of Deidara's sight. He was meaning to catch up with Itachi and along the way, hoping that he was right about the baby being fine.

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><p>She sped at a fast pace, her light red, almost pinkish hair whipping back from the wind hitting her face. Her eyes narrowed to see clearly while the wind dried her eyes out, scraping out the last bit of her vision. Her hat was still snug on her head but it felt like it was ready to come off at any second. Her heart was pounding and she could see two figures up ahead. She smiled like a devil and knew who they were upon first sight. It was Orochimaru and Kabuto. Behind her, she could sense that two of the members of Akatsuki were after her, never letting down their guard and on top of that, seemed like they were getting quite impatient.<p>

'I'm going to have to lose these losers somewhere before they see Orochimaru.' The girl thought and she looked down at the baby in her arms. The baby had stopped its annoying crying for now but it was still wide awake and scarier than her attitude was. The girl's name was Tayuya and she was often scarier than most women but today, this baby was scaring her.

She quickly glanced behind her and then back to the front of her. She stopped shortly on a tree branch and jumped down; landing with such grace that it would have put Sasori to shame. She knew that time was against her and the only way to stop an enemy was to know how to play a tune. She smiled and let the child down on the ground, and she pulled out a silver flute. The baby began to cry as if signaling for the Akatsuki members to follow his voice. Tayuya scowled and wanted to pound the baby with her foot but she couldn't upon Orochimaru's orders.

"Try this on for size, gents." Tayuya said aloud and put the side of the flute to her mouth, closing her eyes and droning out the sounds around her.

Itachi and Sasori both stopped and both knew the woman's tricks already. Tayuya growled with disgust as she soon realized that she was hanging from a cross by her neck. She could feel herself choking and drained of her bodily fluids as though her life never even existed. Itachi floated before her like a bat hanging from a cave ceiling. Tayuya glared at him but she could not say anything but merely cough out her words. The baby had vanished as did the forest she was running in and the sight of Orochimaru and Kabuto were gone as well. She had been tricked this whole time and how she had fallen for it, she was hoping to find out.

"If you're wondering how you got here, you looked back and saw into my eyes. I had my sharingan activated this whole time. Goodbye." Itachi disappeared amongst a bunch of crows and ravens and Tayuya was left to watch from a clone's view as she was tortured by other clones of herself, all digging long swords into her stomach and in the sides of her.

Her last scream of pain and agony filled the clear forest air and drew on the attention of Orochimaru and Kabuto. They had made clones of themselves in case the Akatsuki became too much to handle and had rested in this spot and sat back while the five others they were with, got the baby and made an escape. But as they could see now, the girl or practically anyone they had sent for the baby did not seem like they were going to be back anytime soon. Kabuto pulled out a kunai knife from his pouch pocket that hung from his waist.

"This is the last time I listen to you, Kabuto. These idiots couldn't even kidnap a mere baby. I think it's time…to call our old friend out, don't you?" Orochimaru grinned from ear to ear and pulled up his long black sleeves. Kabuto knew what the man was going to do and wondered if it was such a good idea.

"Orochimaru-sama, I'll get the baby. Just please don't call that monster out here." Kabuto pushed his glasses up and hoped the pale man would be reasonable and allow him the chance of going after the baby. He referred to their giant snake summon as a 'monster' since it really didn't do much during a battle but criticize Orochimaru's every move and also, it requested a heavy sum of people to devour after its mission was over. In short, it was a large and lazy slob of a purple snake that Kabuto hated to rely on.

"Don't disappoint me, Kabuto." Orochimaru seemed to be in a well off mood today and let Kabuto take over the duty of the baby.

'Can't believe how extremely nice he's being about this…first for everything I suppose.' Kabuto's last thoughts had rung through out his mind as he raced with incredible speed and agility toward the spot of the girl's screaming. There was only one girl on their team of five and it was Tayuya.

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><p>Sai and Jiraiya did not look it but they seemed to be getting along quite well in Kakashi's eyes. Jiraiya had tried to show Sai the books he had written so far and even the one that Kakashi had on him, but it was no use, the boy simply refused to read one of them. Kakashi sighed to himself and looked down at the bag of letters he had brought with him. Were the letters really worth all the clues that he had originally thought? He used to think that somehow Itachi and Kiba were mixed in with it all, but only Itachi proved to be the latter of the plot that seemed to make sense whereas Kiba's knowledge of Sasuke's and Naruto's secret relationship, had been only told and nothing more about the boy was said other than that. But then again…there was always Sakura who did seem to make it in almost every letter he read.<p>

"Hey Kakashi, what is in that bag you got with you anyway?" Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at master Jiraiya.

"They're letters… private letters of Sasuke and Naruto. Lady Tsunade thought they might make the boys happy." This sudden conversation somehow got Sai interested.

"But…why would letters make a person happy?" Sai's questioning look gave Jiraiya a good laugh as he slapped the boy on the back happily.

"Of course it would! These kids wrote them and from what I heard, stored them away all the years they've been together, right kakashi?" The said man could only nod in agreement while Sai was still sitting there with a blank look on his face. He did not seem to get what they were saying.

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><p><strong>An: Still 4 chapters to go little ones, but for now, I sleep! You shall all see a new chapter very soon my dears!**


	12. A need of reassurance

**Been on a roll with this fic, huh? Well, it's not really rushed, it's actually, planned ahead by a few jot notes and then this long list of words appear!**

**Anyways, just finished watching the little monsters movie, totally cool as I remembered it! My web site is coming along greatly!**

**Warning: For once, doesn't have anything! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own this OK? By this I mean Naruto!**

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><p>Tapping sounds echoed off the desk of the Hokage's office, each pounding dug into the desk one tap at a time. Kurenai and Shino both looked ready to jump out of the room if they had to. Kiba was not as concerned about the Hokage's certain temper or about the current look Tsunade had been giving all three of them. The orange pill lied on the desk, in front of Tsunade. They had just finished explaining to Tsunade about the pill and Sakura's intentions and how she might be related to Naruto's and Sasuke's deaths.<p>

"Kurenai, your team will leave at once to catch up with Kakashi and Jiraiya. I've originally sent Sai for this mission but…in any case, Naruto and Sasuke are…alive." All three of them were in shock at the news.

"But…how? We saw their bodies!" Kiba's protest sounded as though he were trying to console himself.

Tsunade stood up from her chair which was a first for her as she had been cooped up in the room organizing papers and signing papers off and on and was only allowed washroom breaks. She let out a sigh. This wasn't the first time she would have to explain the story.

"For reasons unknown right now, Itachi and Sasori duplicated Naruto and Sasuke's bodies creating replicas of them. I know they would want Naruto, but Sasuke's a whole different area. Unless there's a brother-to-brother spat going on right now, there shouldn't be any reason why Sasuke should be taken as well as Naruto. I need you three to back up Kakashi and Jiraiya and…see if you can find Sakura. She seems to have…wandered off." Tsunade smiled as she looked out over the village. Kurenai and Shino and Kiba all walked out of the room, leaving the room to be as quiet as it had been before.

"Lady Tsunade, do you have a clue about the pill? I've never seen one like that before." Shizune's worried look only got Tsunade worrying just as much and Tsunade shook off the bad feeling.

"What matters most is not the pill itself but rather…how the hell did Sakura manage to get this pill?" Tsunade asked aloud as she went over to the desk and picked up the pill, looking it over as many times as she possibly could. Shizune was right; it was not a pill that was common around neither their village nor any other for that matter. Were Kiba's accusations correct after all?

"It doesn't matter now, Shizune. We got work to do and it's about time I got out of this place." Tsunade exclaimed and stretched her arms out a bit as she headed for the door, Shizune at her heels with the pet pig still held in her arms.

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><p>The pounding of a door came ringing in Naruto's ears. It was extremely loud and annoying and on top of that it sounded close by. Naruto opened his eyes but he did not feel like his skin was on fire anymore nor did he feel the heat boiling at his innards. His heart had stopped pounding and his skin did not feel as hot as it had before. In fact, he felt perfectly fine. The blonde sat up and realized he was getting wet as though he were sinking in a large river. He looked around and realized where he was. He was in the depths of the Kyuubi's cage.<p>

"_Naruto... you actually gave birth, what a pathetic weakling! You have too much of that woman in you…" _Naruto glanced around, wondering where the dark voice was coming from but even when he looked inside the large, dark cave-like cage, the fox was no where to be seen.

"Mom, don't listen to the idiot fox. You gave birth to me!" Naruto was astounded as he was suddenly hugged from behind by a taller man who seemed to look a lot like Sasuke but he had the fourth Hokage's eyes. As blue as the ocean itself, round like rain drops.

"Who…?" Naruto asked and he got up from the water, standing on top of it.

The taller man in front of him smiled warmly and ruffled the back of his black hair, scratching his head. He had Sasuke's looks and the fourth Hokage's eyes. This did not need repeating since Naruto knew full well who it could be now. It was Kitsuki, all grown up. The man beckoned for someone from behind him and for once in his life, Naruto did not feel connected to the real world but rather his dream world. He felt like he could stay there forever. Standing beside his son, was a woman with long, brown hair with lavender colored eyes, almost as white as the snow. She wore a purple kimono that was wrapped with a nice blue bow tied behind her in a knot. She smiled at Naruto and then looked up at Kitsuki. The man must have been at least 6 feet tall by the way he towered over her.

"Please don't give up, Naruto-san." The girl's voice was like a haunting wail through hall ways when one was out during the night. Naruto smiled at the woman and at Kitsuki before the two of them vanished into yellow and gold sparkles of dust. Had this all been just a dream?

Feeling a poke touch his side, Naruto opened his eyes once more, noticing upon the impact of the sun's rays that he was no longer inside the dark and misty chamber of the fox. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye as he remembered seeing his grown up son and what must have been his new daughter in-law. His sudden tear got Deidara worried for a second. "You Okay, Naru-chan?" Naruto sat up, scratching the back of his head. The last thing he remembered hearing or even seeing was Sasuke.

"I'm fine but…where is everyone? Where is…Kitsuki…?" Upon letting the name escape his mouth, Naruto quickly got up from the ground, stumbling a bit before getting his legs to adjust.

Deidara looked away in the direction where Itachi and Sasori as well as Sasuke had all but left them to go in. The Akatsuki member knew Naruto well now that he thought the boy should rest a bit at least until Sasuke came back. Deidara was not used to staying in one spot for very long after having been with someone who was constantly on the go.

"Naru-chan, Kit-chan is fine. Itachi and Sasori are good in battle. You saw that for yourself firsthand, remember?" Deidara asked; a smile widening across his face.

Naruto had nearly forgotten the way Sasori and Itachi had fought against him and Sasuke at first but as the memory came back, so did the awful feeling of falling to his death. Although he had done it so many times before, falling off cliffs or getting pulled down a large rockslide; Naruto did not feel as frightened from them as much as he did the memory. It was the day that he, Sakura and Sasuke were sent on the mission to hunt down two of the Akatsuki and if they had the chance, just one of them.

They originally had a battle with Sasori and Deidara at first but Itachi soon made his appearance and had warned all four of them that something foul was in the air. At first, Naruto did not know what the man meant by all that, but now he did. Sakura's intentions had been tracked by Sasuke's keen eyes and sense of memory and a good judgment of people. She had been planning something up until their sudden 'deaths. Naruto remembered the mission as though it were only yesterday.

"I remember all too well. You guys…really were worried for us?" All through out the time Sasuke and Naruto were in the Akatsuki's presence, the Akatsuki had not been too warm to them until today.

"At first, we couldn't care less if you died during that battle. But when Sasuke-kun said you were pregnant well…we had to see for ourselves." Deidara smiled down at Naruto. It wasn't the first time that the blonde man had smiled at Naruto, it was always like this. He was tough on Sasuke but he seemed to take a liking to Naruto right after they were taken in by Akatsuki.

"Kitsuki...he looked so much like Sasuke and I." Naruto looked down at his red hands. They were slightly swelled up by the sudden shock of pain but were now receding. But they still hurt with the slight movement he made with his arms, trying to find a comfortable position to sit still.

"I guess so. But Naru-chan is much cuter, un!" Deidara was trying to cheer Naruto up with his many perks of interests. He was never good at cheering people up but it was admirable to see him try so hard.

Naruto smiled at Deidara but there was something he could not shake off as easily as the others. Sakura's intentions were loud and clear and now that they were in the open at a time like this, Naruto feared all the more for his baby's safe return. He clenched his teeth and saw that he had been clamping his hands into fists. He relaxed just a little to relieve the pain.

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><p>Kakashi let out another sigh as Jiraiya began to write out something on a piece of paper in the middle of the palm of his hand. What the man was writing, Kakashi didn't know but whatever it was, it sure wasn't a letter to someone. The white haired man blushed every time he looked over at Kakashi and then he would write something down while snickering aloud. Sai was not tuned in to the old man's constant snickering and odd behavior but Kakashi could see a bit of irritation come across the boy's face every once in a while.<p>

They were getting closer to the hide out, almost three hours away and they would be standing at their very door step. Sai and Kakashi both stopped and looked at one another. Jiraiya stopped only a few spaces up ahead when he noticed the others weren't walking with him. He looked back at them with a puzzled look. "Something I should know about?" Kakashi and Sai didn't say anything but merely looked around at their surroundings.

Someone had been following them and whoever or whatever it was, was nearby.

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><p><strong>An: The next few battles are coming closer! Stay tuned cause in the next chapter…we'll see Sakura's true colors indeed!**


	13. Challenging moments and truth be told!

**I haven't updated in a while because of college so here's finally the updated chapter of the fic. Be sure to watch out for a new fic I have coming out soon. I sound like a theatre!**

**Warning: Contains violence and cursing. You have been warned!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters except for Kitsuki, the lovable baby who will soon be with his parents.**

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><p>He was tired, annoyed and at the same time, distraught over the baby's constant crying. Kabuto had managed to seize the child right from under Itachi's nose. It was a wonder he was still alive and in one piece with the real baby held in his arms, wailing. The man only wished to at least stop the baby's excessive crying and only wanted to silence the child for the time being.<p>

Now trailing behind him, Itachi and Sasori were racing against time, but were not rushing themselves so as not to make any problems by acting too rash. Sasori had been in the lead even though Itachi had been the first to get to the woman who had originally taken the baby. Now the baby was in the enemy's hands and all because Sasuke and Itachi had a mishap. Kabuto had disguised himself as Sasuke and surprised Itachi by taking the child out of his arms and dashed off like a lightning bolt. The man's speed was incredible when it came to running.

Now the two members of Akatsuki were racing to catch up to the impersonator and both of them seemed to be losing their spirit. Sasori's poisonous puppets had little effect on Kabuto's skin for it seemed to heal soon after being punctured. This healing ninja was certainly one to look out for. Itachi caught up with Sasori and they both ran together, through the clearing of the trees, under the watchful eye of anyone watching in the sky. But no one would be watching them now as Deidara had stayed behind with Naruto.

The real Sasuke Uchiha had caught up but with each speeding step he took, Itachi and Sasori could hear that Sasuke was getting tired with all the running around that they were doing. A loud shout of laughter filled the air around them as Itachi began to pick up his pace. The cry of laughing could be heard coming up from the side just a few steps ahead of them. Itachi narrowed his red and black eyes but he did not look around. If he did, the hope for the child's safety would be reduced to zero. The laughing subsided and faded and Hidan appeared beside them, grinning like a madman. He always did like a good chase with his prey.

Sasori and Itachi both sighed in relief. They had been expecting another enemy to show up. Hidan's hair was still slicked back and he did not seem to have any scratches on him not that Sasori cared for the other man in any way. Sasori looked at Hidan as nothing more but a mere pawn in the Akatsuki and he always though his ways of doing things were too brash.

"What's the hurry? Don't tell me you lost the baby!" Hidan told Itachi as they raced on without any more interruptions. Sasuke was at their heels now, anger and detestation rising within him at a rapid rate.

Itachi and Sasori did not reply to Hidan's suggestive questioning and instead, remained focused on the task at hand. They had never worked as a group before so this part of team work was certainly new to them all. Sasuke however, thought they did well in a group and hoped this group session would last long enough for them to get his infant back safe and sound.

Just a few steps ahead, a few leaps and jumping across the barren land and they would have had Kitsuki back in their arms. But Sasuke could not see past Itachi and Sasori's shoulders and Hidan had turned this chase into a game, racing the other two to see who would catch up to the man faster. Grinding his teeth together, Sasuke did a few hand signs and made a few doppelgangers. Itachi seemed to have noticed the sudden commotion behind him as he had turned his head a few inches to the right but he did not turn around all the way and instead, kept his gaze straight ahead.

"It will not work. The man will know we aren't too far behind and he might change course. I say we keep tailing him." Sasori was usually the smartest out of the most of them but Itachi was also just as smart and knew when the right moment would come around.

"Well it's worth a try." Sasuke replied and sent the three clones of him out in different directions. He was positive that the plan would work.

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><p>Sakura Haruno's courage was remarkable. She had just managed to leave the village, <em>her <em>village. It was a risk that no one would have done aside from Itachi Uchiha, the elder brother of Sasuke Uchiha, who had left the village on his own accord after murdering his entire clan, all except for his younger brother. Sakura knew that anyone who left the village without being assigned to a mission by the Hokage, were bound to be listed as a rogue ninja. She didn't care. She had a mission to do and she needed to act fast.

She had caught up to Kakashi and the other two men who had been assigned officially to the mission of recovering Sasuke and Naruto. But if they only knew what she had known, the three of them would probably be hunting the pregnant Naruto just as much as she was doing now. She could not afford the baby to be born nor did she want Sasuke to be a father so soon and to a baby that would surely bring a disaster among their village. She hated both Naruto and the unborn child.

Sakura stopped and crouched behind a few trees, shielding her form so that she was hidden among the leaves and branches. Just a few feet below the trees stood the three men on their special assignment. A boy with cropped short and black hair whom she had never seen before, an older man with white and spiky hair and just a few feet ahead of that man was Kakashi sensei. The man seemed to be on to her movements and if Sakura was able to, she would escape their presence unnoticed. She had a deal to uphold and it was her turn to do her job, a job that required no attachments to the village of Konoha.

It had only been a few months since she saw the two men last and she never thought she would see the two of them so soon. There was a plan in motion that she had begun and she refused to let it go on any further. She wanted to confirm that Naruto was dead as _she _hoped for. She only wanted what was best for Sasuke.

Sakura stepped lightly on the branch that was supporting her and quickly jumped off to the left, hoping to land on the patch of grass that was tall enough to keep her body out of sight. She landed gracefully on the grass but she whipped her head side-to-side, looking to see if the coast was clear for her to move. The grass was tall just as she had predicted and she was hoping it would serve her needs. It didn't.

Her foot had snapped a twig in half and the sound seemed to last for a few minutes. She groaned aloud and stepped off the branch, making herself known to the others. Kakashi was not surprised by her willful actions of leaving the village. But to expect to actually see Sakura catch up was something he wanted to know the answer to. How was it possible that Sakura could make it there in less than three hours? It had taken Kakashi quite a bit of time to catch up to the other two.

"You should have stayed in the village, Sakura." The girl flinched and got a worried look on her face like she usually had on when she was facing trouble speaking.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but held back and instead, made a mental note of the situation. If she was going to play out her role in this mess, she was going to have to do it right. She clutched at her chest and looked as though she were ready to cry any minute. Sai and Jiraiya looked over at Kakashi who only looked on in interest. What was the man thinking? Wasn't he her teacher?

"Kakashi sensei…let me come with you guys! I want to see Naruto…and Sasuke-kun!" Tears swelled at the corners of her eyes and she could feel the density of the atmosphere. Two of the men seemed to feel sympathetic while the third man, a boy who looked to be her age, stood silent. His expression was careless and uncaring for the girl who stood before them. Sakura knew the boy could probably sense her deceit.

Sakura swallowed hard and tried to ease up a bit and looked at the boy with sad eyes. She was hoping to get the boy's affection or at least some sort of comforting look from him. But Sakura got nothing back and with that, she stuck close to Kakashi by rushing to the man's side. She smiled sadly and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine, Kakashi sensei. We should get Naruto and Sasuke-kun back!" The boy that Sakura had tried to win over was not showing any expression and it was getting on her last nerve. Had this boy known what she had done or was it simply that he did not like her?

'Why do I care if he knows anything or not? He's just an idiot ninja from the village who'll die anyway. Not like I like him or anything…' Thinking this thought through, Sakura began to feel guilty. She knew what she was doing was certainly normal for someone who was a rogue ninja but it was a rare sight these days since Konoha became stronger and having a strong Hokage only made it more welcoming and known through out the other villages.

"Kakashi, how come you never told me you had such a cute student?" Jiraiya, the white haired ninja who took long vacations away from the village and only came back to see Tsunade and Kakashi, but then the man would leave again saying he was on another mission or goal. In a way, he reminded Sakura of Naruto.

"Ah…yeah. She is Sakura Haruno. Sakura, this is Sai." Kakashi pointed his finger at the boy whom Sakura had thought about earlier. The boy simply looked at Kakashi and then at Sakura and smiled politely.

In a way, Sai's face sort of reminded her of Sasuke's face. His hair was shorter though almost the same ebony black color and his eyes were the same and a rich and smooth look to his ivory skin that seemed to reflect the sun's rays. To be honest, Sakura sort of liked his looks from afar but his attitude was getting the better of her. "N-nice to meet you!" Sakura tried not to let her anger get the better of her as she bit her bottom lip, holding back her tongue so she could not say how annoying he was being. She did not like the boy's attitude or the fake smile he presented her with.

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><p>Sneering and cradling the baby in his arms, Orochimaru flicked his eyes from Kabuto to the infant. They had succeeded into getting the child, now all that was left was for the extracting of the baby's growing powers that resembled that of the nine-tailed fox that Orochimaru could not wait to meet in person. His plan was working as swiftly as he hoped it would. They had stopped for only a short amount of time and were about to run off with the child again but something was pulling Orochimaru back and keeping him there to see the look on the Uchiha brothers' faces. He wanted to see their reaction as he held the baby.<p>

"Lord Orochimaru, we should take this time to leave at once!" Kabuto's voice was full of concern and a bit jumpy to boot. Orochimaru studied the young man's face for a moment before looking around at their position. They were out in the open but they weren't afraid for their lives.

"Maybe we should stick around, it's not like young Sasuke-kun will have back up. No one from their village even knows they're alive except for…Sakura." The man sneered and twisted his grin into a wide smile and looked down at the young infant in his arms. The baby stopped its crying only because he knew that the others were nearby. Orochimaru snorted lowly and tightened his grip on the baby's wrapped sheet of cloth and looked in the direction they had come from. He could tell the small group was on their way and it looked like they had one more to add to their numbers.

"But lord Orochimaru…the power could be gone before we extract it. We should use this time to…" Kabuto stopped talking after looking at the other man's pale knowing face. Kabuto shifted his weight slowly to the left so that his posture was exposing his true and selfish attitude, showing himself for what he really was deep down.

"Yes Kabuto. We will get the power we want, _after _Sasuke-kun and Itachi come around. I will rip this infant's life apart in front of their very eyes. Kabuto, Can you fetch Sakura for me. I feel the time is nearing, her presence is needed after all." Orochimaru sneered at the baby in his arms and looked into the small round orbs that look up at him. The eyes he could have never dreamed of, glowed bright red and then a bright blue in color.

There really wasn't much time. Kabuto nodded in reply and vanished in a cloud of smoke while Orochimaru chuckled softly as he listened intently for the pounding steps that raced toward him and the baby. It was a final showdown and soon he would have his chance to gain what he really wanted….unlimited power.

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><p>Hinata's face was growing full with the same rosy cheeks on her pale face and her heart rate was beginning to go back to normal. Her internal bleeding had finally stopped and Tsunade was able to recover the girl's stomach and patch it back together. Shizune and TonTon the pig had been standing by watching everything the Hokage was doing, both in awe as Tsunade wrapped a large strip of gauze around Hinata's stomach and chest. The girl was knocked out cold by all the pain up until now so it was only natural that she'd be asleep. Once Tsunade was done wrapping the piece of medical cloth around Hinata, Shizune clapped her hands approvingly and smiled with glee. She always did love watching people get treated.<p>

"It seems that it was the pill doing most of the damage and I'm guessing that once it's been taken out of the hosting body its effects immediately ceases. She should be fine now although it will take a while for her internal organs to heal." Tsunade raised her arm to her forehead and wiped away the excess sweat that was dripping like a faucet.

"I wonder how Kakashi and Jiraya-san are making out. Do you think they've found Naruto and Sasuke?" Shizune was back to her worried self. Tsunade paused in the midst of washing her hands and looked at the young woman with surprise.

Tsunade smiled at her and shut the taps to the sink off, twisting the knobs until the water ran no more. She held up a closed fist and held it up for Shizune to look at her hand. "They'll have to bring those two back otherwise…what will I tell Hinata when she wakes up? Plus they'll be dealing with a lot more than just the Akatsuki when I'm through with them. But if they get them back safe and sound, they won't get hurt now will they?" Tsunade smiled at Shizune and dropped her hand to her side.

"But lady Tsunade, what if they don't come back and if everything Sakura had said was a lie?" Shizune asked, walking behind Tsunade as they walked out of the hospital room and down the empty corridors.

"Shizune, are you forgetting who's running this village? If Sakura does turn out to be a traitor of some kind and gets our prized ninja assaulted, I have no problems sending the ANBU after her trail. Besides, Sai and Kurenai's team are on their way to the hideout so it should be fine. Have a little more faith in them, Shizune." The young woman smiled meekly at Tsunade as they walked out of the hospital building.

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><p>A rumbling sound in the distance caught Sakura and Sai's attention and they both looked in the same direction from which the sound had been coming from. Sai glanced back at Sakura's shocked face. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out why she would be so keen to have heard the rumbling. The sound had not blasted off any kind of quake within the ground so it was impossible to tell by feeling alone. Was she just as clever as he was? If so, she would have been evenly matched against an ANBU squad. But aside from that, he had been given a different order and if he was to exploit Sakura's intentions, then he would have to do so alone. He did not trust the others as much as he would the Hokage herself.<p>

Kakashi and Jiraiya both stopped their chatting and looked to what Sakura and Sai had been watching for. They knew there was something going on as well. "Sensei!" Sakura's pleading voice snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts and he was forced to start up a plan. Although he knew that Sai and Jiraiya were sent out for this mission alone, the fact that he was sent along too meant that Tsunade wanted a good strategist for the team. But why had she not picked Shikamaru for this kind of thing?

"We'll split up into teams of two that way we can be in both directions. Jiraiya and Sai, you two will stay here, Sakura and I will check out the problem. I'll send Pakkun in case we need you for back up." Sai nodded his agreement as did Jiraiya but Kakashi could see the older man wanted to go along. He raised his ninja headband, revealing his other eye that had a scar going across his eyelid.

Sakura pulled her gloves down so that they fit extra comfortably around her wrist and fingers. She was ready for battle and especially ready….to meet Sasuke face-to-face.

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><p>Naruto winced at the pain he felt in his stomach and clutched at his bare stitched stomach all while trying to hold himself up with Deidara's help. The blonde had rested a bit and he was ready to join Sasuke and the others in a battle he was sure they would never forget. Deidara saw how determined Naruto was and tried to help out as best he could but the bird's flapping was not making it any easier on Naruto's legs. The wind was colder and breezier when higher up but on the ground, it was calm. The wind was clearly the cause of the boy's stumbling.<p>

"Are you sure you want to join in, Naru-chan? Sasuke-kun told me to stay with you…if he blames me for this…" Deidara gave a disgustful look at the ground below them as they flew across.

Naruto knew that Sasuke meant well in protecting his family but if they were going to be a real family, Naruto felt it best that he join in the fight too. He wanted his baby back just as much as Sasuke did. The bird flapped its large wings once more and the finally landed in an area full of smoke and flying debris. The final battle had come and to both Naruto's and Deidara's surprise, the two blondes saw Sasuke and Itachi glaring at Sakura and Kakashi. All four were in a dead lock of a staring contest. Naruto's mouth gaped opened to speak but before he could say anything, he heard the whimpering cries of his child, Kitsuki.

Sasuke, Itachi and Naruto all turned their heads and saw a giant snake towering above them. On top of this snake was Orochimaru with the baby held firmly in his arms. Hidan was apparently holding off Kabuto in battle while Kakashi was trying to make sense of the scene before him. Naruto wasn't sure he would be able to trust Kakashi but if he wasn't able to trust the man who had been their leader since three years ago, who was he going to trust?

So, Naruto took a chance and wobbled up to the leader of their broken team. His wounds were seeping through the stitched area and blood was trickling down his bare stomach to the top of his black pants. Sakura flinched at the sight of Naruto, looking the boy up and down with one swift nod of her head and she backed away a few steps, clutching a kunai knife in her hand.

"Naruto…what happened to you?" Kakashi asked his face full of concern and wonder as he looked into the face of a tired boy, a boy who used to have so much steam and energy to run around. Now the boy looked like nothing but a walking corpse. His eyes were dull blue in color and his face was not as peachy colored as it was before. He looked simply miserable and exhausted.

"Kakashi….you shouldn't have brought Sakura…." Naruto said, wincing at the slight pain he felt once more in the same area as his stitched stomach. Deidara joined Itachi and Sasuke and they were glaring at Sakura now.

Kakashi blinked in surprise wondering what the boy could be talking about. But there was no time for explanations now. A man had a child and two boys were still fully alive but only one of them was well enough to stand and fight while four of Akatsuki's members were now looking at Sakura as though they wanted to kill her off any minute.

"What the hell's going on? I thought Orochimaru-sama would have finished off you two by now. Guess it means _I _have to do it." Both Naruto and Kakashi were surprised to see Sakura acting so highly of a being that was not even worth mentioning.

Sakura's colors were now showing for everyone to see and Kakashi was not alone to witness the admittance for Kiba, Shino and Kurenai had heard this comment as well. The only ones not surprised of this were Naruto and Sasuke and the Akatsuki members who seemed to await an order from Sasuke. Kakashi's day was slowly turning into a survival test. Who was he really up against and what could have happened to Naruto that had made him look so weak?

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><p><strong>An: My, Sakura has finally shown what a royal pain she truly is! Just so you guys know, I meant to cut out the bits of Kabuto getting Sakura's attention because it wasn't exactly necessary and would only contain one paragraph so I left it out. As for the one who started the battle and caused Orochimaru to summon the snake, it was Sasori since he was getting too close to grab the baby. This part was also only a few paragraphs so I left it out too. But the final two chapters are coming up, one large battle will take place and just when Kakashi had thought so much of Sakura…sigh…**


	14. Kakashi's decision part 1

Been so busy with school work and building websites that I almost lost my spunk for this. Well I did make a video for this fic so it should be up soon.

The final battle is here, will anyone side with Sakura? Read on to find out what happens from here on out.

Warning: Contains violence and cursing and a bit of exposing of boy love between Naruto and Sasuke.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters except for Kitsuki and the soon-to-be child of Hinata's. Yes, Spoiler!

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><p>Kabuto pushed his round clear glasses up to the bridge of his nose, smiling alongside with Orochimaru, his hand resting slightly above his hip. The infant in Orochimaru's arms was crying even louder than before and the power that was surrounding the baby looked to be lessening even more now. The chakra that surrounded the small infant's body was red with anger but it was now turning blue. There was no more time to be wasting with the little group below and it was time to extract the power that Orochimaru needed.<p>

"It's time, Kabuto. Hold this thing while I deal with the brat's parents." Orochimaru smiled and handed the baby to Kabuto and dropped down to the green grass below.

The snake Kabuto and Orochimaru had been standing on, hissed aloud for everyone to hear as it flicked its tongue, tasting the air as Orochimaru passed the beast's face on the way down. The black haired man landed gracefully beside Sakura, the pink haired kunoichi who had given Orochimaru her body in return for revenge against Sasuke and Naruto. He sneered at the blonde who had looked like a complete mess and looked as though one step would send him falling to the ground. Sasuke on the other hand, had teamed up with his brother and looked to be past the revenge against him.

"I'll take things from here, Sakura. You can do what you want with the child…once I've had its power. Wait for me with Kabuto." Orochimaru watched as the girl hesitated and then agreed with him and flew up like a bird on wings, running up the neck of the snake.

Her speed was just as marvelous as her attitude towards her team mates. Kakashi was taking this new found action from Sakura a bit hard while Sasuke and Naruto were not at all surprised by this. Orochimaru expected nothing more from these two and hoped they would put up a good battle because he wanted to see the reaction of their faces as he sucked the power from their only child. But this was a challenge because he had never gone up against six people who were all equally as powerful as he. Orochimaru had ruled Naruto out altogether since he knew the boy's strength was failing him by the minute and he would not even be able to make a hand sign or two.

"Sasuke…get the…baby!" Naruto nearly dropped to the ground had it not been for Kakashi to hold him up.

The said boy looked at Naruto with a sharp look that read 'why are you here?' and without thinking, Sasuke forgot all about Orochimaru and went to Naruto's side, picking up the boy's bony hand. Kakashi was witnessing something he had not seen the two of them do before nor did he think he fit in with their world. It was like he had become an outsider. It was only natural since he had not been there to see what had really happened during the mission. But did he hear what he thought he heard? Had Naruto said the word 'baby'?

"He'll be fine! I'll save him, Naruto. And…I'll kill Sakura." Sasuke's hands clenched into fists and he felt his brother's odd stare coming from a side glance. Sasuke ignored the stare and kept his attention on Naruto's condition. The boy's strength looked weakened from the Kyuubi's overwhelming power from earlier.

The blonde boy did not look ready to fight but his eagerness to get his newborn back was more inspiring. Kakashi shifted a little under the 120 pound body that had been laid across his chest. He could feel Naruto's pulse from just the slight touch of his wrist, feeling it racing rapidly throughout the boy's body. If anyone needed a rescue now, it would be Naruto. Kakashi looked from Naruto to Sasuke and then up at Sai, the boy who had been assigned of searching for them. Sai caught Kakashi's glances and saw the man needed help, lifting the boy's body. With Naruto being in the condition he was in now, Kakashi did not want anything more to happen. And then…there was Sakura.

He looked up from his crouched position, leaning the blonde boy over to Sai's shoulder while Sasuke stood in front of the three of them in a fighting stance. He looked more than ready to fight anyone who was willing to take a knock at him. His eyes had changed from a starless black night sky to a fiery red color, with 4 round dots with tails, floating and swirling with the red. His face looked more mature than that of an original 15 year old. Sasuke must have seen or done something that caused him to act a little older than he was but Kakashi wasn't going to hold the boy back. And instead of seeing the same twelve year old boy with hatred and revenge in his eyes, Kakashi saw hope for the first time.

Sai stood up with ease and allowed Naruto to take his shoulder for support. The blonde was frail and light weight as he lifted the boy up gently and turned to look at the boy known as Sasuke Uchiha. His mission was half completed. Jiraiya, the white haired sannin who had accompanied Sai and Kakashi was merely standing back, observing the scene that was unfolding. He had expected at least either Sasuke Uchiha or Naruto to walk a dangerous path. He had never thought of a girl turning her back on her team mates.

"Kakashi sensei…don't let Sakura take him…" Kakashi strained his ears to listen carefully but his mind kept wandering to Sakura's deceptions and to the questions as to why she would do something so outrageous.

Sai could see Sasuke's shoulders tense up as the long-limbed, pale faced man who stood before them, grinned menacingly at the now larger group. Kakashi slanted his eyes to Orochimaru and then looked up at the large snake that towered over all of them. In the faint glow of the bright sun, he could make out two silhouettes standing on the snake's head. He could tell who the one standing beside Sakura was just by the way he stood.

Kakashi wasn't really in the best of moods to have to fight one of his students. He was just as surprised as Jiraiya to see that Sakura was behaving so wildly. It was a feeling he could not quite place his finger on but it was something frightening in the way she had looked at the group just before running up the snake to stand beside Kabuto. "Kakashi. Take your students and get back to the village. I'll deal with our old pal, Orochimaru." Sai and Sasuke both looked back to Jiraiya.

The old man was serious about this and with a determination in his eyes that Kakashi had recognized them from watching Naruto and Sasuke during their assignments together. Sasuke felt Kakashi's stare on him and he lowered his head a few inches. He had been asked specifically by Naruto to get their infant back safe and sound, and now an old man wanted to take on the special mission. He wasn't feeling jealousy or anger toward the others, who had come to help, but Sasuke felt slightly uneasy on letting others take control over a situation that held his son's life at risk. Whether his sensei wanted him safe at the village or not, Sasuke was willing to stay and fight alongside his brother, Itachi.

"I'm staying. Take Naruto and get out of here, now!" And with that said, the battle began.

Sasuke felt proud for saying something that he was sure Naruto would have said in his shoes and with great speed, Sasuke's feet were on their own, balancing his body this way and that way, dodging the oncoming attacks that Orochimaru was trying to throw at him. Itachi signaled for Sasori and Hidan to move in while Deidara made sure Naruto got out the safest way; into the skies above. The clay white bird that had been hovering for quite some time in the air, found its place among the group, getting the freedom to flap its wings once more as it glided from the sky to the brown patches of dirt. The bird landed with a soft THUD, and then settled on the grass.

Sai and Kakashi both lifted Naruto with a gentle flow of their hands, allowing Deidara to take Naruto onto the bird. With only one look back at the battle ground that was growing smaller and smaller, Naruto's vision of Sasuke, disappeared. Deidara knew where the Hidden leaf village was so it was no trouble to get the boy to safety, but his worries were a tad bit further. He was worried about the child.

Since Kitsuki had been born in their cave, Deidara, at first had his doubts about letting Naruto and Sasuke stick around. But now, there was a child who brought back a heap of memories to their hearts, memories that could have been forgotten completely. Deidara looked at the battle below and glared at the snake that stood waiting and watching. If only there was a way to get rid of the large animal without disturbing the baby. Before Deidara could think of it any further, a large black hole swallowed the snake and left the two ninja to collapse to the ground. Deidara smiled and looked closer as the newly arrived Tobi came into the clearing.

All three of the Akatsuki members who had been on the ground, looked like they were relieved to see him there. Deidara chuckled low to himself as the white, clay bird flapped away from the battle area.

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><p>Back on the ground, Sasuke was slightly happy to see another member of Akatsuki but he was still tensed about his son's life and the promise he was hoping to keep to Naruto. His gut feeling told him that he would be safe…for now. Kakashi saw that Sasuke's shoulders were trembling as were his hands. Feeling the bravery of being a sensei and a teacher, he rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, showing the young man he was not alone for this battle. Sasuke noticed the hand but did not shrug it off or even acknowledge it. He was focusing on Sakura and Kabuto, both of whom were watching the baby with careful eyes as though it would attack at any moment. They seemed afraid of the baby.<p>

"I'm going after Sakura. Kakashi…don't hold back on four eyes." And with that, Sasuke vanished into a black shadow and was already reappearing in front of the pink haired kunoichi.

Kakashi was impressed to see that the young man had grown in just three years but this madness about a baby and going up against Orochimaru was beginning to take its toll on him. The man did not want to face Sakura in battle or even look at her anymore. He felt guilty and ashamed to know that he had her beside him all this time without him knowing anything about her intentions.

Sasuke and Sakura both looked like they weren't going to hold back. It was a sorrowful sight to see. Their bodies were in sync with each other, both knowing when the other would attack. They were both determined for something. Kakashi watched a while before setting his mind to battling it out with Kabuto, Orochimaru's right hand man; the man who was currently holding a crying infant in his arms.

"KAKASHI! HURRY UP!" A sudden shout out from Sasuke made Kakashi jump. He was still not mentally prepared to fight against anyone as of yet.

Sai saw that the man was a bit hesitant and knew the only way to get his attention or in some way, snap him out of his senses, was to prove the pink haired kunoichi was not who she said she was. Her name was real but all the time the man must have known her for, was all an act. Sai stepped a few feet back from the area and settled himself on a small rock near a couple of trees.

He slid his arms through the pack strands that were hanging off his shoulders and allowed the bag to drop behind him. Sai then pulled the bag around, facing the bag towards him so that he was staring at it. Sai unzipped the back pack and dug around in it and pulled out a few scrolls and a black handled paint brush. He stared at them for a while before zipping his bag up again. He loved art and he made use of it by drawing animals and demons on his scrolls, making them come to life like they had souls to begin with. The scrolls he carried and his brushes that he held onto, he showed great care for them for they were not some measly old tools to use just anywhere or anytime. These objects were special to him. But time was growing shorter and he could sense the unease of tension conflicting within Kakashi. The man was second guessing on Sakura's real intentions.

"I'll cover for you if you're not willing to fight." Kakashi looked back at Sai with a questionable look and took another look across from them, staring at the young pink haired woman who had been dodging every single punch and kunai knife that Sasuke was throwing at her. Both of his students looked so willing to die for something. Kakashi had yet to know what was really going through Sakura's mind. But what was Sasuke's motives for rushing the battle? The young teen was not thinking as much as he should while on a real battle field. Then again, he didn't know what happened the past month, so he had no right to judge the boy's reactions of the fight.

"Cover me, Sai." The young man known as Sai, looked taken aback by the older ninja's words but soon let the smile he had on his lips, fade away as he readied his paint brush and scrolls.

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><p><strong>Meanwhile…<strong>

Her heart was racing with each pounding step she took, her long, black-purple hair, blew through the breeze, flying past her shoulders as she leaped across the bare, green land like a rabbit on ballet shoes. A streak of water glazed down the side of her cheek as she rushed ahead of her team mates and her captain, Kurenai. Hinata Hyuuga was speeding across the open land, hoping she would be there in time. Behind her, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame, both racing just as fast behind the girl, both of them along with their leader, all were wishing for the same thing, That they would all be in time for the battle that they could sense in the air.

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><p><strong>AN: this is just part one of chapter 14! I'm really sorry I couldn't upload faster, school got to me so many times! Hope you will enjoy my fanfiction websites that are linked on my profile. :)**


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